Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
You might have seen the story on the news today, Scotland are banning cheap booze. no more 3 for 2 offfers in the supermarkets, no more price fixing, no more bogofs. They are sick to death picking up the pieces for irresponsible drinkers, for trying to fix the hooliganism associated with it, and for picking up the tabs on the hospital bills for everything on failing livers to saturday night punch-ups and stabbings. Of course Scotland have the worst boozing problems in europe.
However why should we all pay for the moronic few. The legislation hasnt reached England yet but anytime soon its coming your way. But here we are...its the Presbyterian thinking that we are all damned to hellfire and worse if we have a glass of the amber nectar or the pinot grigio.
The baby goes out with the bathwater with any legislation like this. Everyone gets penalised. There must be a better way.
Once again politicians show a remarkable lack of imagination when it comes to things like this. Its like those Knife Amnesty things...when everyone hands in a knife to the local nick, can you ever have come across anything so pointless!!?
We're in similar territory with this new deal. All it will mean is your saturday night bottle of wine will cost you more and will they cure anything...no not at all. Dim thinking.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the shops in the far north of england will be rubbing their hands with glee awaiting the coachloads from north of the border.
fair point that paul makes regarding all of us suffering.
we are all aware that most of the social problems originate from the bottles of white cider and the cans of super strength lager.
getting back to the main theme, how can the scottish parliament force shops to sell a free market product at a price fixed by the government?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
They seem very confident of getting this legislation through and seem confident that they have the remit to do it.." as elected representatives". But its no more than another swingeing tax on the working classes. They're humble bottle of cider will accelerate skywards in price to beyond £6 in some cases. Where the upper crusts wine case will change not a jot.
This is an effort to protect the irresponsible from themselves at considerable cost to the rest of us.
Remember too that the smoking ban originated in Scotland...so dont understimate what they can do.
But the booze price fixing is surely nanny stateism gone mad. Its all a bad dream
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the smoking ban in scotland was foisted on them by the UK government.
the jocks always end up being used as guinea pigs, remember the poll tax.
Absolutely it's a tax on the disadvantaged, who struggle enough as it is to find a way to enjoy life and have a bit of fun. I know - let's put a tax on hot air spoken in Parliament. How about a tax on Lard? On Gentlemens club membership? Minimum price on ermine? Enough is enough chaps!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i agree with most of that bern, but "gentlemans club membership"?
wash your mouth out.
i am waiting for an invite from posh barry to his club in pall mall, will give me the chance to feel superior to the riff raff.
no offence meant!!
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
And where am I going in a few days?.........................Scotland!
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Well as long as you are not planning to move there permanently Jeane you should be alright. If you were planning to move there permanently I would recommend that you stock up on all cheap booze bigtime and shove it in a warehouse of your own secret choosing...then you can drink White Lightning night and day at knockdown prices from here til eternity and cock a snoop at nannyism.
Not that you would ever do that sort of thing...more a Baileys girl i would guess. Im probably talking about myself here.
Ah the sophistication and quiet solitude of White Lightning drinking.
But I have the right to have it at a fair price...
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
But what makes people want to drink so much ? most people like a drink (don't they ?) and some people like to feel a little tipsy now and again, but it's the excesses that some go to - trying to live in a Town called Oblivion - why ? what is so terrible about living these days; is every day life really so bad ? I'd say not - despite the past week.
Roger
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
No I'm not planning on a permanent move to Scotland PaulB, beautiful place but far too cold for me. Alas it only seems to be warm and dry for about two weeks of the year. I'm just going up there to do some more cemetery photography (and stay in a reputedly haunted hotel!) As for Baileys, I can't stand it I'm more of a Kronenberg or Bombay Sapphire girl!
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
This latest piece of legislation should certainly upset one or two scotsmen, if it was happening in Ireland there would be a riot for shure!
Jeane, I never thought of you as a lager drinker but a Bombay Sapphire girl, now that fits.
Howard, no problem, your name is on my clubs register as a guest so its just a matter of time old boy!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
roger
very few people drink themselves to oblivion, even fewer cause a nuisance or commit an offence.
the vast majority will be paying extra due to the holier than thou brigade having a dislike for the devil's brew.
barry
thanks for info, will not say a word to anybody.
can one have one's name engraved on ones' own chesterfield there?
Does the club admit women? Please anticipate a sexism debate.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
certainly not bern, one must maintain standards!!
did you really need to ask? tsk tsk.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
Once upon a time all lager was 3%, then the norm moved to 4. Strong lagers can go up 8%. Quite often you see the odd person sitting on the wall of the Methodist (sorry Beacon) church with his Tennants or whatever.
Now everyone can imbibe with the lower abv as I saw on Friday that a certain supermarket is selling four 440ml cans of 3% lager for 90p!
Oh that we could follow the Scottish example.
I didn't buy any by the way.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ah..here we are. Where Scotland go others follow. Now we wake up this morning to hear Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England, has called for all alcoholic drinks to be increased here in England too. Now there's a surprise. They test the ground in Scotland then it spreads sounthwards like chicken pox.
Donaldson's calls have been heeded before in numerous areas and he was for example active in the introduction of the smoking ban.
Charging us all more for alcohol is going to accomplish exactly what?? it wont stop the saturday night pissheads in all the market squares in all the towns. It will just result in me and you paying more for our quiet bottle of wine or our few cans of beer. As the cost of most of it is already made up of tax..well its just another tax on top of the tax already there. And of course will hit the working classes most.
Do I scent rebellion in the air? Is this a bridge too far? Remember the poll tax riots.........?
Seriously, there must come a time when The Masses say enough is enough, maybe this is it? I would support that!!! Everything you say is spot on, PaulB.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I can't believe that another hair-brained idea has been listened to by this (Labour) Government.
Just another stealth tax to screw the ordinary people; because a few, as Paul rightly calls them "piss-heads" spoil our Town Centres at the week-ends, all of us have to suffer.
I thought it was illegal to sell drinks to drunks - it must be pretty obvious, even to a blind man, who's had too much.
How about stopping Off-licences and other outlets from selling to under-age kids too - very severe penalties might put people off too.
Roger
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
Roger these rules/laws are currently available to the local constabulary and licensing authorities - clearly given the ongoing concerns about these self same things these laws are either not being rigorously enforced or are ineffective.
I agree that we should seek to avoid disadvantaging people, however it should be remembered that on many of these supermarket deals they are actually losing money, perhaps a better rule would be to prevent shops from selling below cost.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
you seem to be making a party political point roger.
as you say, this goverment has listened, also they have shown no interest in it.
surely a responsible government will listen to any idea before rejecting it?