Heard this on the news yesterday.

Thinking of you, Turi. :p

Cheers, mate!

I don't know how much of this has been reported in your news so I'll briefly explain why this is happening. The UK is often compared to Western Europe due to geographics. But our cultures, and especially drinking cultures, are completely different. The French, the Italians, the Spanish, for example, are known for their relaxed drinking style. It's known as social drinking. Meeting with freinds in bars and cafe's to socialise and enjoy a glass of wine or a beer is by product of that or they'll have a drink with their dinner. Which, culturally, they'll eat later than us.

Us, on the other hand, we're binge drinkers. The shame of Europe for our exploits. We go out and get plastered, often from a young age, hanging around streets and parks with a bottle of cider. And so a whole culture of crime has developed. Things are out of hand. When it's kicking out time for pubs and clubs, hordes of people congregate on the streets and generally there's anti social behaviour.

The new laws are designed to culturally change us. Change our drinking patterns. My local pub is only going to open for an extra hour on weekends. So instead of me rolling home at 11 I'm just going to crawl home at 12 instead. I'm against the whole thing. We're not going to change how we drink. Not immediately anyway. This could take decades.

I'd like it more if you British quit driving on the wrong side before.... :p

Does this law apply to Ireland too?

Ireland has nothing to do with us. They're a republic except for Northern Ireland which are part of Britain. So far these laws are only for England and Wales.

Oh I see. My bad then, but I thought the United Kingdom was formed by: England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

No worries man. There's many people here who are confused with which countries are involved with the United Kingdom and Britain. Britain basically refers to England, Scotland and Wales. The UK includes Northern Ireland with that.

Most bars here have been able to stay open until 1:00am for quite a few years.

I must admit, I thought of you too Turi, when I heard this. :p You mean now, your bars are only open until 10:00? Our are open until 2:00 a.m.

I heard the very end of a report on this story this morning. They said something about the hope that this would reduce bar room "brawling"????? You guys are wild & crazy.


TIS

In the UK, until 23:00.

Not many pubs have applied for it i've heard, but another advantage could be going out for a night and then staying in a pub until morning when the buses start to run etc, that's if some pubs do stay open all night, admittedly though, most pubs have lock-ins anyway, i've been going in the pub since I was 16 and there has been a lock-in all of the time.

There's a bit of confusion about this, but Turi is right about how it works. I don't think it's a bad thing though. Most pubs, as my friendly local-to-work landlord informs me, have applied and got the new late licenses but they aren't going to use them unless there's a special occasion (football... er, that's about it). In London, where I am, it's mainly in the West End to placate annoyed tourists who can't understand why the bars close at 11.30pm. Of course, anyone in the know has always been able to drink for 24hrs in London. Some pubs near markets have early opening licenses (they can open at 6am) and there are plenty of bars in Soho that stay open all night. I see this developing over a few years so that pubs near cinemas, for example, will stay open late to cater for the post-flick crowd. Things like that have got to be a good thing. Having to rush around after a meal or a film and then rushing a couple of pints is a hassle.

There's a lot hysteria in the right-wing press over here about how the streets will be awash with vomit and binge-drinkers will be out at all hours causing trouble. I personally know a couple of loons but I also know they'll be happy to be back home in front of the telly by 2am. 24hr pub crawls can be exhausting believe me.

Like these two louts

Bars are open until 4 AM where I am. I think that's late enough.

My God, the Dr who fixed Lucy has spotted the worst culprits. Thankfully they are safe in Pakistan causing havoc on the pitch. In fact a large bird told me that Flintoff's performance at Downing St convinced the PM that having us Brits trollied all hours of the day would be great for national morale and would see him happily get a third term. Only a rumour though. Honest. ;-)

Certainly the worst culprits for giving their wickets away. I bet Freddie could find a drink in Pakistan, he could find a drink in the desert if he wanted. What a legend.

Brilliant. I got in at ten past four this morning.

Mick

Like these two louts
[/b][/quote]Is that Mick & Turi after a night (morning) out on the town?? Why you wild and crazy "louts" or is it "blokes"

TIS