'Pubs could be forced to list calories for every meal and drink on the menu'
Restaurants, take-aways and pubs could be forced to print menus calculating the calories in meals under government plans to combat obesity. Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary, has signalled he will change the law if food businesses do not respond to attempts to introduce a voluntary industry system. The Food Standards Agency is trialling a scheme in which about 20 restaurant chains, including Real Greek and Pret A Manger, provide calorie counts of all dishes on their menus - Daily Mail
Fifty communities trying to save their local pubs from closure have been dealt a major blow after the Government scrapped a multi-million pound grant to help fund their plans. David Cameron has hailed community pub buyouts as part of his Big Society initiative. But a £3.3 million fund set up by Labour to help stem the closure of local pubs has been closed down before a penny was paid out. Critics said last night that ministers were "turning their back" on rural communities. More than 80 groups have come forward for help to buy out their local pub since the Community-Owned Pubs Support Programme was announced in March - Daily Telegraph
A city has saved more than £7million in injury-related costs after banning glasses in pubs. Health bosses in Hull say not one single eye operation has been carried out since pubs were made to serve beer out of shatter-proof plastic glasses two years ago. NHS spokesman Paul Laing said there used to be 20 eye ops a year - costing £184,000 each - because of pub fights. "There are savings not only in hospital budgets but also in the criminal process and cost to a victim's life," he added - Mirror
Four drinkers have gone beer, there and everywhere during an incredible pub crawl that has lasted 26 years. The pals have travelled across the UK in search of real ale and have just visited their 15,000th boozer. They have racked up 250,000 miles and sunk 92,000 pints. Engineer Peter Hill, 54, said: "After we finished in the pubs, farmers would often let us sleep in their barns - there were even sheep in there at times." - Mirror
