Late night drinkers are being breathalysed on the door at pubs, bars and clubs across twelve London boroughs. At the moment the scheme is still in its trial phase, but if successful it could mean punters will have to watch how many shandies they have at home before heading out on the town.
The aim of the scheme is to reduce alcohol-related fights, which according to Metropolitan Police figures rose by 24% in 2014. So far 76 venues have introduced breathalysers for door staff to assess whether customers are too inebriated to carry on drinking. Who they turn away is up to them, but one rule of thumb is being over twice the drink-drive limit.
While the Met and some pub operators have welcomed the idea, not everyone is pleased. The Morning Advertiser has reported that the head of the Beer & Pub Association expressed concerns it will turn customers away, and Wetherspoons is one of the larger operators against it. Somewhere in the middle is Mayor Boris Johnson. On Mayor’s Question Time in December he stated he personally didn’t wish to be breathalysed every time he went to a pub, however he also said some businesses might like the plan while others won’t, and would have to await results before making a decision.
At the moment breathalysing is being trialled on a voluntary basis in boroughs including Hackney, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Islington. So far the venues taking part have noted a decrease in crime since breathalysing began.
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