Friday 22 March 2013

Look, We Can't Run Society Based On What Makes Your Job Easier!

A plan by WHSmith to sell alcohol at its Leicester railway station branch could lead to booze-fuelled disorder among football fans and street drinkers, police fear.
Oh, here we go again. The police want a quiet life, so banning stuff is first on the agenda.
The retailer has applied for an alcohol sales licence for its shop at the London Road station, but police have called for it to be turned down by city council officials. The council's licensing committee, which is set discuss the matter next month, has received a letter from police inspector Nigel Rixon, of the force's licensing department, raising concerns about the move.
Not because he's too worried about sloshed commuters, oh no. It's that great old excuse - football supporters!
He wrote: "During the football season, Leicester station is a gateway to many travelling supporters attending matches at Leicester City.
"Police provide a policing operation on these days to ensure the safety of those attending the matches and those visiting the city for business and leisure purposes.
"Much of the operation is conducted to meet travelling fans outside the station buildings and monitor and restrict access to alcohol."
Of course it is. Despite the fact that you already know who the main troublemakers are likely to be, blanket policies are the order of the day.
The inspector also said WHSmith falls within a so-called saturation zone where there is an automatic assumption that new licence applications will be rejected because of the high volume of nearby alternative off-licences.
Why? Shouldn't the market decide?
The police have asked if the council was minded to grant the licence it should consider a number of restrictions, including the suspension of alcohol sales during all Leicester City home games and limiting any beers, lagers, ciders and perrys on sale to a maximum 5.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV).
That's not just on football days, oh no. That's all year round.

Getting that North Korean feeling again?

Still, surely the doughty Englishman will not brook this state overreach and interference with his rights?
Rail passenger Martin Cash, 42, from Leicester, said: "I don't think it is unusual for shops to sell drink at stations but I can see why the police would be edgy about it.
"If you put alcohol in front of their noses they will take it."
Oh...

4 comments:

Clarissa Clement said...

Sounds to me as if Mr. Cash is suggesting that the police can't be trusted with booze. ;)

Anonymous said...

As long as WH Smith operate their "BUY ONE GET THE SECOND HALF PRICE" policy on alcohol, the same as they do for their books, then they are surely on to a winner.

John Pickworth said...

I know where this story is going...

... should consider a number of restrictions

And there we have it. The police everywhere are doing this now as a matter of course. Almost every new licence (or renewal) comes along with a standard rider of conditions imposed by the police, many of which go far beyond those of the licence itself. Once accepted by the licencee (and it's an offer you cannot refuse), these conditions become enforceable under pain of loss of said licence.

Overreach indeed.

JuliaM said...

"Sounds to me as if Mr. Cash is suggesting that the police can't be trusted with booze. ;)"

It does rather read that way, doesn't it? :D

"As long as WH Smith operate their "BUY ONE GET THE SECOND HALF PRICE" policy on alcohol, the same as they do for their books, then they are surely on to a winner."

Heh! That'd be worth fighting your way to the rills through all the chocolate bar display stands for...

"The police everywhere are doing this now as a matter of course."

And it needs to be nipped in the bud, not supported!