Bid to ban supermarkets from selling alcohol

A bid to ban supermarkets from selling alcohol has been launched on the 10 Downing Street website.

Bar and nighlclub owner Gary Hunt, chief operating officer of the Yorkshire-based Brook Group, has launched a petition on the 10 Downing Street site.

While he admits his dramatic call might go unheeded, he hopes it will raise awareness of the problems cheap supermarket booze can create.

He said: "I support minimum pricing, but I am not sure it is radical enough. The supermarkets probably won't bat an eyelid at my campaign because they are too powerful but at least I feel that I am doing something."

He added that the company had experienced problems because of cheap off-trade alcohol at the 19 bars and clubs it runs in the north of England.

"People are pre-loading and coming in later and later. They are already drunk when they get here and it just seems to be getting worse and worse.

He added: "Obviously it is extremely unlikely that the government will ban supermarkets selling alcohol but this petition is about raising the profile of a very serious problem and putting pressure on the government to put in additional measures, over and above minimum pricing, to draw back the bulk purchasing of alcohol through irresponsible supermarket sales."

Add your name to the petition here​