Punch hits out at 'tax on binge drinking'Nick Huber
guardian.co.uk,
Thursday April 24 2008
The chief executive of Britain's biggest pub company has attacked the recent above-inflation rise in alcohol duty, dismissing government claims that it could discourage binge drinking as "ridiculous".
Giles Thorley, chief executive of Punch Taverns, warned today that the 6% rise in alcohol duty, announced in the March Budget, could even encourage excessive drinking because customers may choose to buy more cheaper alcohol from supermarkets and drink heavily at home.
"The pub is the home of responsible drinking. The number of restrictions that already exist as result of recent government legislation means that you are much safer drinking in the pub than anywhere else," he said.
"We all get frustrated by the way that politicians use an excuse to pass on what is effectively a straight tax hike. The suggestion that (the rise in alcohol duty) was designed to mitigate the issues of binge drinking is quite frankly ridiculous."
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