Stick To Policing And Getting The Rubbish Carted Away, Can’t You?

Licensing chiefs in Dorset have rejected a round-the-clock alcohol home delivery service after concerns were raised about potential disorder.

So, they’d rather boozed-up people went outside their homes in search of more drink, then?

Councillor Andrew Morgan said it was refused because "risks and controls" had not been properly considered.

Such as?

We aren’t told. And it’s not just the council.

Dorset Police spoke against the proposal at the council's licensing committee hearing.

Sgt Adrian Thompson said alcohol was controlled in certain night spot areas across the town.

He said: "The home travelling side will bring that into communities where people want to sleep at night... and carrying on noisy parties or the sound of delivery people in the street just disturbs some people and causes them some distress."

The same applies for pizza and curry delivery services too.

Planning on banning these too, are we?

Thought not.

Mr Scott and Mr Davis said they will reapply to the council in January after reassessing their business proposal.

Whereupon they’ll be turned down again. Unless in the intervening period, these people are taught that they are the servants, and not the masters…

Councillor Andrew Morgan said: "Whilst we really admire the entrepreneurial spirit of the two gentlemen making the application, we felt that they hadn't considered the risks and controls properly, and for those reasons we felt we are right to say no to the application."

In other words, ‘Go away and think up a 24-hour fruit juice delivery business, and you’ll be in business’.

Meanwhile, in Brighton, the police and council are up in arms over yet another business venture:

A pub crawl firm offering a “recession-friendly” £10 drinking session has been criticised by police and health charities.

Punters in Brighton can take advantage of six free drinks on an organised tours of city-centre bars.

The pub crawls, organised by a company called Boozedbrighton.com, have only just been introduced in the city.

You can guess who wasn’t delighted, can’t you?

Senior police officers and health charities reacted angrily to the events.

And just listen to what they had to say!

Inspector Vicki Harris, Sussex Police's head of licensing for Brighton and Hove, said she had not heard of the events until she was contacted by The Argus.

So?

Why the hell should any business have to inform the police before they start up? They aren’t serving drinks, so it should be of no interest to the licensing authorities, and so to this jumped-up little prodnose.

She said: “I have not heard of this company but I am very concerned to hear of them encouraging binge drinking to this extent which is very unhealthy and can lead to social order problems. “

The first is none of your damn business, and the second should only require you to act if it comes to pass. Not in case it might…

But she isn’t finished insinuating her beak into this business:

“Trading Standards may well be interested and I will certainly be speaking to the venues that are hosting these promotions to ensure that there will be no breaches of conditions and that venues continue to promote the licensing objectives as is required under the Licensing Act.

“We have plenty of successful bar crawls usually organised through the students’ unions who work with us and coordinate with us. This company has had no contact with us and I will now be looking into their operation.”

Ahhh, it all becomes clear now.

The favoured businesses are the ones that go cap in hand to the likes of Inspector (how’d she get to be one in the first place, I wonder?) Vicki-with-an-i Harris. Those that rightly think they should have no say in it are to be brought to heel.

And the council want in on that game too:

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Each weekend the city welcomes hundreds of visitors who enjoy the vibrant nightlife in Brighton and Hove and this council is committed to keeping them safe and promoting sensible drinking.

“Partnership working with the police, health services and licensing trade in managing the night time economy has been so successful that we recently achieved Beacon status.

“Therefore we are concerned to hear of any initiative which may encourage excessive or irresponsible drinking. If the event organisers would like to contact us, we would be pleased to provide information and advice to help ensure that those taking part have a safe and enjoyable night out.”

You mean, you are terrified at the thought of any business setting up without your involvement?

Because if they do, then people might reasonably ask why we need so many of you in the first place…