England's Proposed Alcohol Free Zones

[Moozik: Nine Inch Nails - Only]

With the news that 24 hour opening hours have had little effect on crime and general disorderly conduct comes a new idea. Take away licenses from pubs in "problem areas".

Ministers are to give the police and local authorities powers to create "alcohol-free zones" through the wholesale withdrawal of licences from pubs and clubs in city-centre problem areas.

Home Office research published yesterday showed that concerns about "24-hour drinking" voiced two years ago when the change in the licensing laws was introduced have not materialised.

But the change in opening hours has not led to a significant reduction in crime and disorder. The overall disorder level remains the same but with a small proportion of violent crime displaced to the early hours of the morning.

Now, this might have something to do with the fact that hardly any pubs stay open significantly longer than they always did.

The research also shows that "24-hour drinking" may be a misnomer, with the average pub closing time being pushed back by just 21 minutes from 11pm. Only 470 pubs, clubs and nightclubs out of 200,000 across the country have applied for 24-hour licences, and only a handful operate on that basis.

So close the problem pubs then, because there's no possible way people would go to other pubs, drink, and then become disorderly.

Ministers will also support the police and local authorities in identifying hotspots for drink-fuelled crime by ranking them geographically, and by concentrating on the risks premises pose to crime and disorder and public nuisance. "This will allow licensing authorities the ability to exercise ... the wholesale withdrawal of licenses in these areas," said Burnham.

You're now entering the "alcohol disorder zone".

A Home Office spokesman said that the introduction of "alcohol disorder zones" this summer, in areas where pubs and clubs required extra policing, will include the power to impose a compulsory levy.