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Cameron backs move to stop cheap alcohol
DAVID CAMERON has indicated he will support councils that want to ban shops and bars from selling cheap alcohol. The Prime Minister said plans to introduce a minimum price per unit of 50p in Greater Manchester would be looked at “very sympathetically” Ten local authorities in the area want to pass bylaws to address public disorder and health issues caused by binge-drinking. The approach has the backing of doctors and health experts but ministers have previously been lukewarm to the idea.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Mr Cameron made clear that he did not want to introduce a national minimum price for alcohol. But he said: “I think the idea of the councils coming together on this is a good one and we will certainly look at it very sympathetically.” He went on: “I think if what you’re trying to do is stop supermarkets from selling 20 tins of Stella for a fiver that’s what we’ve got to go after. “Where I want to try and help is ending the deep discounting on alcohol. “People going and ‘preloading’, having bought from a supermarket where they were attracted by a price
designed to bring them into the store.” Mr Cameron said a local bylaw could fall foul of competition rules as it would mean alcohol in Greater Manchester being priced higher than neighbouring areas. Any bylaws imposed by local authorities would need to be signed off by the Home Secretary, he added. The House of Commons Health Select Committee and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) have both voiced strong support for minimum pricing. However, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley expressed doubt on the grounds that it punishes low-income families.
'World' backs an Essex cafe in Harrods tussle THE OWNER of a roadside cafe has hailed the support he has received from across the globe in his row with Britain's most famous department store, Harrods. Nigel Holland's comments came as Harrods appeared to back down in the battle over the logo for Hollands Cafe Lounge. Harrods had claimed the lettering of the Hollands sign is too much like its own and was threatening legal action if Mr Holland failed to change it.
In turn, he has argued it would cost £14,000 to make changes to his signs, menus and website. Harrods has now offered to help make the changes and said it was "awaiting feedback" from Mr Holland. But Mr Holland has said the company has not yet made any offer of cash to cover his costs. "Harrods has offered to assist with rebranding Hollands Cafe Lounge, so we have sent them the copies of invoices from when we had our signs designed," he said. Public support has been phenomenal. We have had hundreds of emails from all four corners of the world.
13 August 2010 - 19 August 2010
Mr Holland went on to say he had received global support for his battle with Harrods. "Public support has been phenomenal. We have had hundreds of emails from all four corners of the world." Harrods attracts 1.5 million customers a year to its site in Knightsbridge, one of London's most prestigious locations. The store can trace its origins back to 1849, while its original gold coloured logo was first created in 1967. In contrast, Hollands Cafe Lounge sits on the northbound stretch of the A12 near Rivenhall and opened in early 2010.
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