A poster campaign was launched to help licensees raise awareness of the laws on buying alcohol for a drunken person, or knowingly selling alcohol to a person who is drunk. The aim of the public awareness, campaign is a safe and sociable drinking environment for all.
The trade body the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) worked with National Pubwatch and Drinkaware, with input from the Home Office, to create the two new designs, which can be downloaded free from the BBPA’s website. They are also available on the National Pubwatch website for local Pubwatch scheme members to download and will be made available to the Government’s 20 Local Alcohol Action Areas and to BBPA member companies to offer to their pubs.
Organisers point out that it’s an offence under the Licensing Act 2003 to knowingly sell alcohol to a drunk, or to obtain alcohol for a drunken person for consumption on a licensed premises. The two posters address each of these two issues in an open and accessible way for customers and staff.
The BBPA points to other ways to promote responsible drinking such as giving customers a choice of lower-strength products and smaller servings, providing alcohol unit-awareness information in pubs and working to prevent under-age sales through the industry’s ‘Challenge 21’ campaign.
Brigid Simmonds, BBPA Chief Executive, says: “These posters are designed to help licensees, who can be put in a very difficult position and risk breaking the law if pressured to serve drunken customers. We need to make sure that the public fully understands that these are offences. Working in partnership with the Home Office, National Pubwatch and Drinkaware on initiatives such as this is a highly effective way of promoting responsible retailing.”
Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “We are delighted to be involved in the BBPA’s campaign to help their members raise awareness of the laws on buying for, and selling to, people who are drunk. This is a valuable contribution towards efforts to reduce the impact of alcohol related anti-social behaviour.”
And Steve Baker, Chairman of National Pubwatch says: “National Pubwatch supports this initiative which is aimed at informing customers that licensees are breaking the law if they knowingly sell alcohol to someone who is drunk. It is great that the industry is demonstrating that it is being proactive.”
Visit – http://www.beerandpub.com/campaigns/servingdrunks
