Booze Tax

[Krisboats]

Ha ha, rich is one of those people thats gonna be a mardy old b*****d when he's 70 that tells kids to stop riding their bmx's in the flowers (thats what its called round here if you hop on a wall with your mountain bike sized wheels), no offence rich, just tryin to point it out now so you have time to change... you entitled to your opinion but your not fully grasping what its going to do.

The UK, as already mentioned, has some of if not THE highest taxes on alcohol in europe. And the british are already labelled as being the worst binge drinkers around. Why would you say that is? I mean, spains legal age is 18 but people of around 16 can be served and go to clubs with hardly anyone caring at all. Why do they not have as many binge drinking tendancies as us? Because if i'm correct (i read this somewhere) that being a roudy drunk in spain issues you with a £200-400 fine, thats english pounds not spanish currency. It can even give you up to 6 months in jail.

I would say having tougher laws in england for roudy piss heads is a much better suggestion.

[Caleb]

that would take out the fun in drinking though, people wuld be scared to drink

[Dan Clark]

A pint at my local is £1.20

[Si-man]

Booze tax doesnt really effect me lol, dont drink really

making it more will make people drink less, cause they wont want to pay say £4 a pint ( just an example). well thats how i see it anyway, if i go somewhere an the beers more than £2.00 a pint, i go somewhere else lol

[anzo]

A pint at my local is £1.20

£1.75 for carling here

£2.10 for bud

£2.30 for stella

Everything else is about £2.50

Clubs charge about £2.50 a bottle of bud.

[Extreme_biker0]

£1.75 for carling here

£2.10 for bud

£2.30 for stella

Everything else is about £2.50

Clubs charge about £2.50 a bottle of bud.

Pound a pint in Walkabout on a Tuesday night in Doncaster

It says it's Carling, but I doubt that very much, even going by taste alone.

[delusional]

Much better solution. Legalise marijuana (other drugs would be good to, but one step at a time).

Then you get extra tax revenue for the government, less people out on the piss (illegal to smoke in public remember), better policing (when they're not busy wasting time and money busting non-criminals) and less fights when a drunk person can walk into Costcutters and buy a spliff instead of another can of wifebeater (not going to feel so much like a fight after a J are you).

Of course, if you legalised MDMA it would be even better. No fights in clubs then, just big double 'ard scallies hugging each other all night.

Oh yeah, and stop talking about binge drinking like it's a new thing! This country has ALWAYS drunk a lot, our entire history is soaked in gin and ale. Two of our most famous politicians, Pitt the Younger and Winston Churchill, drank an incredible amount (Pitt apparantly got through two bottles of port a day) and they still managed to define the role of Prime Minister and fend of the hoards of Hitler respectively. The House of Commons is riddled with bars, although under the current administration that's begun to change as it's not seen as 'politically convenient' to have a bit of a drink in the evenings.

The bottom line is, our parents generation were big drinkers (binge drinkers even), so were their parents, and theirs. Pretty much back to the invention of brewing the main pre-occupation of people in this country on their night off was to get pissed. It's never caused a problem before, the only reason it's a problem now is because of the media picking it up and the government doing exactly what the media ask instead of telling them to sod off and stop being so silly as they're supposed to.

[Michael Hardman]

Up drinking age to 21 to stop the 16 year olds getting in on it as easily

Up taxes on drink and fags so I don't have to give 22% of my hard earned to all the people in hospital from drinking too much or getting injured because of drinking

Put all alcohol in cans or plastic bottles, I'm fed up of smashed glass bottles everywhere, it does my nut in

I agree with the lastic bottle idea.

Up the age to 21 and come down harder on the people that se to under agers and the ones thatare of legal age that buy for them.

My local has a major problem with underage drinkers, they've been warned enough times and its only a matter of time before their closed down, otherise its a descent gaff.

Edited October 27, 2006 by Michael Hardman

[plainlazy84]

It's quite expensive enough thank you very much Ms Hewitt. So what happens when taxes go up but binge drinking and its related problems fail to get any better? will she propose another tax rise? Heck why not make it £10 a drink? that'll sort out the problems! My personal opinion is that this idea is total and utter wank As has already been said we have some of the highest tax rates on booze in Europe yet it doesnt seem to make any difference. Binge drinking is now so heavily ingrained into youth culture that an increase in prices won't change a thing.

Baz isn't going to turn around to Gaz on a Saturday night and say "I was gonna dhaaaan 10 pints, get lairy, and throw someone through a window......

However this excessive tax rise will substantially decrease my disposable income and render my ability to pay for essential living costs useless. Drink up we can get back in time for Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway!"

I go out, get pissed, have a laugh and that's it- why the hell should I (and the vast majority of others) have to pay for the ones that do cause trouble? I agree with Kris- get tougher on those that do break the law and generate extra revenues that way, which can be reinvested into longer term solutions.

[Michael Hardman]

Like many of you I go out todrink to catch up with my uni friends and even though were out all night we all still come home in one iece and without causing a nuance. I just think its sad that people go out to get trashed on drink.

Make booze cheaper, legalise drugs and maybe mother nature will do the rest and rid society of the weak.

orry I'mback to my old crazy ideas.

[anzo]

Plastic bottles wouldnt work, pressure it too high. So I think anyway, read it somewhere.

[Ash-Kennard]

I for one don't care, if im going to go out drinking I buy in advance so those extra few pennies won't really bother me. I admit I like getting pissed, its fun but if you don't cause trouble its fine, although I have seen alot of alcohol fueled fights so I do understand the concern.

[Walleee]

Much better solution. Legalise marijuana (other drugs would be good to, but one step at a time).

Then you get extra tax revenue for the government, less people out on the piss (illegal to smoke in public remember), better policing (when they're not busy wasting time and money busting non-criminals) and less fights when a drunk person can walk into Costcutters and buy a spliff instead of another can of wifebeater (not going to feel so much like a fight after a J are you).

Of course, if you legalised MDMA it would be even better. No fights in clubs then, just big double 'ard scallies hugging each other all night.

Oh yeah, and stop talking about binge drinking like it's a new thing! This country has ALWAYS drunk a lot, our entire history is soaked in gin and ale. Two of our most famous politicians, Pitt the Younger and Winston Churchill, drank an incredible amount (Pitt apparantly got through two bottles of port a day) and they still managed to define the role of Prime Minister and fend of the hoards of Hitler respectively. The House of Commons is riddled with bars, although under the current administration that's begun to change as it's not seen as 'politically convenient' to have a bit of a drink in the evenings.

The bottom line is, our parents generation were big drinkers (binge drinkers even), so were their parents, and theirs. Pretty much back to the invention of brewing the main pre-occupation of people in this country on their night off was to get pissed. It's never caused a problem before, the only reason it's a problem now is because of the media picking it up and the government doing exactly what the media ask instead of telling them to sod off and stop being so silly as they're supposed to.

and if you do legalise the good ole mary jane, it can be regulated, meaning kids don't get hold of it, and go mental because their brains are still developing. Many kids can get hold of drugs easier than they can get cigarette's or drink...

[minitrialer]

I'm just basing my opinion on things i KNOW are true,

All of the people i know are ALWAYS complaining about their lack of money, yet all they spend it on is going out. Therefore it stands to reason, the more expensive the alchohol is, the less they will buy...therefore in theory, they won't drink so much, which is what binge drinking is....

What you are saying is that all these people will magically earn more money from nowhere, and therefore buy just as much drink as they did before? Where are they going to get this extra money from?

Almost everyone i know my age or younger, earns minimal amounts of money, and they spend it all on 4 main things, Phone, Car, Drink, Gym.... They have no extra money to dip into, in order to pay this extra tax.

Your comparison to air flights is of no relevance, flying on the whole is a once a month thing at the very most, spending a few extra pounds now and again doesn't effect anyone. However if you are buying something almost every day, and it suddenly goes up in price, it has a big effect.

Think about who exactly this tax is aimed at effecting. It's not aimed at the 27 year olds who buy a 6 pack on friday night after work and it's not aimed at people who buy a shit load of booze for special occasions, and drink a bottle of wine a week, becasue they can afford it. Its aimed at young people who spend 70% of their entire wage on alchohol, at least twice a week.

That's if they actually have a job....

I must admit i agree here and some of the people on the forum seem very naive, narrow minded, and are talking down to the forum acting like they are 80.

If you go at the weekend go to a few pubs play some pool get pissed see your mates and have a good time good! Keep doing it, if you enjoy it thats the main part, of life in my opinion.

Even if you have to get pissed before you go out, just enjoy yourself.

(in moderation)

I personally don't actually drink, pretty much 90% of my mates do probably more, i don't know why i don't, i just don't, but i do go to places where people do a lot, gigs, pubs, pool clubs etc and it doesn't bother me that people drink a lot.

Conclusion-

So as a non drinker: i don't give a shit. Despite what the govt. probably say about it being unpleasant for non drinker being around binge drinkers or whatever other excuses they may make.

They did the same thing with smoking. Taxation on fags is massive, does it stop anyone smoking? Does it f**k.

Its to 'prevent people starting'...people don't start smoking by going into the shop and saying 'oh, i might have a pack of fags today'. People are given fags from mates and the habbit begins from there. It 'drives' people away by saying 'I can't afford fags'...but its hard to stop.

I drink because I WANT TO. It's my choice whether or not I have one pint, 5, 10 or whatever. Governments can't deside it, I go to work and pay a shit load of money towards taxs and NI, its my right to do if I want to.

And if its unhealty, I dont give a shit. What isn't unhealthy?

Its the 'People in Power' who never grew up, they went from 17 years old to 50 and never did 'anything wrong'. Booze isn't the cheapest thing here, but its one of the cheapest things to do at the weekend. You can't Sugar the pill and say its pathetic, its not. Generations have done it before us, and they'll carry on doing it.

There is simply very little to do at weekends, I like to go out, get drunk and meet up with mates...a waste of a weekend? Maybe, but I enjoy it.

I've been working my f**king arse off for a week, for some guy in another country. Yes, the wage is good, but its not worth a week of my life. 21 days A YEAR holiday, I get a handful of my wage taken off me, and get left with 'my' money, which is spend on things I WANT...but no, the government says I cant do it because its unhealthy...

I know I'm starting to sound like a right anarchist alcoholic, but seriously, you're paying for other peoples f**king retardedness.

Totally agree, most of my mates have started smoking through friends, even when they are skint they buy them. Scummers really, lol but they just do it because they get used to buying them, no wonder i end up paying for the pool games all the time!

Basically as people have already said it isn't going to stop binge drinking, underage drinking, and it isn't going to stop people drinking.

The money grabbing, thieving bastards.

I just can't get over how people speak down so much about these 'yobs' that drink.

I think when you actually go out on a Friday/Saturday night violence etc in the town is no where near as bad as portrayed in the media, it is again i think a very naive view. Don't get me wrong it is obviously worse in places, but overall i think it is exaggerated, and as with everything else in the media only the bad things are shown 9 times out of 10!

well why would they put people doing no harm getting drunk on the news?

p.s don't know if that made sense, i started to waffle.

[Brian Bleech]

Plastic bottles wouldnt work, pressure it too high. So I think anyway, read it somewhere.

some places sell beers in plastic bottles, I know MEN arena does!

I think I read today in the paper that alcopops would go up by 10/20p (i can't really remember only had three hours sleep because i went out last night and got drunk!! ) but at the end of the day such a small increase isn't gonna change anything, people will just by 19 pints/bottles/shots instead of 20! And ultimately people are still gonna get shitfaced if they wanna.

Like it has been said before the UK is a nation of pissheads, generally! We have a whole different culture and attitude towards drinking than most of mainland europe and we will never get MaccyD's selling kronenborg or people sitting chatting in a square having a couple of beers.

To seriously affect peoples drinking habits the price would have to at least double and that would never happen!

[Krisboats]

10-20p! thats f**king rediculous, its just the government trying to make excuses for raking in more money for doing shit-all. England is an alcohol loving country, everybody drinks at some point and theres so many people in so many bars at weekends, that extra 10-20p isn't gonna be enough to put anyone off drinking yet combine it all together over everyone who buys a drink in every bar in england and you've got yourself an absolute shit load of 20p's.

I f**king hate all this political crap, they want more money. Plain and simple.

Our country is run by what has to be the sneakiest bunch of political wankers ever, "ooh we'll put the 50mph lights on on motorways today despite motorways being clear so everyone ignores them drives as usual and we fine them all for speeding." "Lets put the price of fags up", "we're a bit skint, our jaccuzi's have no bubbles, we'll put 10-20p extra tax on drinks so we can build 5 new luxury health spars and get a new jag E-Type each".

[dave85]

rant, rave, foam at mouth......

It all adds up though, there are lots of places where money is needed, paying coppers to clear up the alcohol problems for starters. Theyve been slowly hiking the tax on beer anyway, just no one has noticed cos its been small changes, one big change wouldve started a riot like this may

[JT!]

Upping the age to 21 sounds like fun...

But what really need to be enforced is the ungerage drinking, and the law that says u can't serve drunk people.

[plainlazy84]

how will upping the age to 21 help? For a start half the buzz for the 14 year old, bus shelter frequenting, cider drinking scallies comes from the fact that they are doing something they shouldnt be. Bump the age up and it becomes even more of a "cool" thing to be seen doing it. And its not like it stops them now when the law is 18- kids will always find ways and means of aquiring booze. There will always be at least one local shop (Happy Shopper when I was a kid) that doesn't think twice about serving 14 year olds. Not to mention the options of getting someone older to buy it, stealing it from home, or elsewhere. No matter how good the schemes are to stop this kind of thing the kids will always find someway around it.

The law is 21 in America and it's just ridiculous that you can be a fully grown adult, old enough legally to have sex, get married, vote, serve for your country etc etc but then not have the right to an ice cold beer.

[downhill_rob2@hotmail.com]

Pound a pint in Walkabout on a Tuesday night in Doncaster

Ditto...

I say, make the drink cheaper... i think in the long run, it will make people spend less when they are out...

Cause they will still think they can spend £70 on a nights out, but then the find themselves in hospital or in a river or summit, then they never try that again...

The law is 21 in America and it's just ridiculous that you can be a fully grown adult, old enough legally to have sex, get married, vote, serve for your country etc etc but then not have the right to an ice cold beer.

Yeah, but do you REALLY need to have that ice cold beer?

why not an ice cold shandy? same taste near enough...

Its like, scotland, banned smoking... and it hasnt exploded into a massive roit across the country... because, it proves, you dont NEED to have that next fag...

What the f**k am i saying....?

I drink, not very often though, dont up the age... please haha

Not too fussed of prices really, i never drink till im f**ked anyways... **LIE LIE LIE**

Edited October 27, 2006 by terror-error

[Papa Manual]

Ditto...

I say, make the drink cheaper... i think in the long run, it will make people spend less when they are out...

Cause they will still think they can spend £70 on a nights out, but then the find themselves in hospital or in a river or summit, then they never try that again...

Yeah, but do you REALLY need to have that ice cold beer?

why not an ice cold shandy? same taste near enough...

Its like, scotland, banned smoking... and it hasnt exploded into a massive roit across the country... because, it proves, you dont NEED to have that next fag...

What the f**k am i saying....?

I drink, not very often though, dont up the age... please haha

Not too fussed of prices really, i never drink till im f**ked anyways... **LIE LIE LIE**

You changed the end of that post pretty quickly .

I was about to rant on about how getting shit faced and waking up in hospital/cells/trouble doesn't really make a difference for a lot of people...believe me. It just becomes more of a routine when they come to the conclusion that it's as bad as it can get.

[plainlazy84]

Yeah, but do you REALLY need to have that ice cold beer?

why not an ice cold shandy? same taste near enough...

Its like, scotland, banned smoking... and it hasnt exploded into a massive roit across the country... because, it proves, you dont NEED to have that next fag...

What the f**k am i saying....?

I drink, not very often though, dont up the age... please haha

Not too fussed of prices really, i never drink till im f**ked anyways... **LIE LIE LIE**

woah there that was a quick edit!

What the f**k am i saying....?

I was wondering the same thing. I dont quite understand the logic behind your last (well befored you edited) paragraph? what difference does it make whether you really need a beer or not? you probably dont but then you dont NEED a lot of things. Why not ban booze altogether in that case?

And an ice cold shandy tasting near enough the same as an ice cold beer?

[craigjames]

binge drinking usually arises due to cetain pubs and bars offering cheap drinks before a certain time or free drinks once youve paid for entry. the reason these offers work and everyones drinks as much as they can in as little time as they can is because its so damn exspensive in the first place. it only happens becuase its better balue, i think that if drink was cheaper in the first place, people would be more content to drink more responsibly. i know i would but as i stands i do go out and binge drink.

according to the government you only have to drink 5 or so pints in one night and your binge drinking!! its our nations culture and i dont think there will be any certain way of getting rid of it. if prices go too high everyone will just start making home brew! in fact im gonna buy myslef a the kit and go nick the apples from the local cider farm!

the tax is a quick money making scheme and the drinking culture is the governments scape goat.

but as said before, i think cannabis will be next, regulated, taxed and the same will happen with that.

dont think any of it will stop me drinking/smoking/whatever thats for sure

craig

[Fixed Pants™]

AGE LAWS ARE f**kING STUPID, i don't know if this has been said because i only read the first half of the first page, but, for f**ks sake government, the night we turn 16... we magically gain the knowledge to smoke sensibly, and have sex sensibly, WTF, i think the person that came up with age laws should be shot, and when we're 18 we have the knowledge sent magically to us to drink sensibly, its so gay, same with at the cinema, like 10 days before you're 15 and you want to go see a 15 rated movie, they wont let you in, how the f**k, it seriously does my head in.

Anzo should be a PM, he's got some VERY valid points, the extra tax is stupid. i think they should ban ciggarettes completely, and only sell alcohol to people that look non violent, there shouldn't be age laws as such but i think the sellers should have a disgression kinda rule, if the person looks nice enough sell it to them, if the persons a scummy chav dont sell it to them, full stop. Same with knives, if the person looks like a 'rude boy' (complete willy, kill them all) don't sell it to them. The government is shit.

:very angry smiley:

Edited October 27, 2006 by Fat Pants

[Brian Bleech]

AGE LAWS ARE f**kING STUPID, i don't know if this has been said because i only read the first half of the first page, but, for f**ks sake government, the night we turn 16... we magically gain the knowledge to smoke sensibly, and have sex sensibly, WTF, i think the person that came up with age laws should be shot, and when we're 18 we have the knowledge sent magically to us to drink sensibly, its so gay, same with at the cinema, like 10 days before you're 15 and you want to go see a 15 rated movie, they wont let you in, how the f**k, it seriously does my head in.

Anzo should be a PM, he's got some VERY valid points, the extra tax is stupid. i think they should ban ciggarettes completely, and only sell alcohol to people that look non violent, there shouldn't be age laws as such but i think the sellers should have a disgression kinda rule, if the person looks nice enough sell it to them, if the persons a scummy chav dont sell it to them, full stop. Same with knives, if the person looks like a 'rude boy' (complete willy, kill them all) don't sell it to them. The government is shit.

:very angry smiley:

erm...no! I really don't know where to start. Only sell alcahol to people that get none violent, how would that work? Every shop would have to employ a psychic to tell if people are likely to cause a fight when drunk!

I don't have time to do a lengthy reply, but I have never seen anybody write so much complete bollocks in one post since pete wright