ALMR to urge off-trade crackdown

Supermarkets and off-licences should be banned from using price in alcohol adverts, a major trade body is set to tell the government.

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, in its response to the Home Office's licensing shake-up, will call for a host of extra restrictions on the off-trade as part of the changes - and also wants the overhaul delayed.

The trade group is understood to be "extremely dismayed" the consultation document does not acknowledge that home drinking has had a major impact on alcohol-related crime - and wants the government to go beyond a ban on below-cost sales.

The ALMR is set to call for:

- Greater controls on the location of off-licences

- No presumption of 24-hour licences for the off-trade

- A ban on irresponsible promotions

- A ban on the use of price in alcohol advertising

The group agrees with the British Beer & Pub Association that plans to give more powers to licensing authorities will rob pubs of basic legal protections.

However the ALMR is arguing the changes need a separate Licensing Bill, so the consequences will be properly scrutinised.

And it believes the legislation should be delayed until the Treasury's review of alcohol duty is finished and a Public Health White Paper has been published.

Nick Bish, the ALMR's chief executive, said: "Our concern is the Big Society runs the risk of turning into the big stick. There's a real danger this will create more problems than it solves for pubs and bars."

The deadline for submissions to the Home Office consultation is this Wednesday (September 8).