A bid to introduce minimum alcohol pricing in Dundee’s pubs and clubs through the licensing board bringing in a local by-law could result in “booze tourists”, with tipplers heading into other council areas which allowed alcohol to be sold cheaply.
Dr Peter Rice, the consultant psychiatrist who heads Tayside Alcohol Problems Service, backs the introduction of minimum pricing across Scotland a move that has had a mixed reception in the Scottish Parliament.
The Courier reported on Tuesday that some local authorities are considering introducing by-laws to set a minimum price for alcohol on sale in pubs and clubs.
Dr Rice said a piecemeal approach would simply result in drinkers moving to a neighbouring town where pricing limits didn’t exist.
“It needs to be done on a massive geographic scale certainly within Scotland, or within the UK,” he said. “If not, booze tourism could quickly undermine it.”
Dundee’s licensing chief Rod Wallace said he would ask city council officials to investigate the possibility of introducing minimum alcohol pricing in the city’s pubs and clubs through a by-law. However, it is understood that would need a change in current legislation.
Dr Rice said local authority action on price control would be a welcome move but “a poor substitute” without any national action.
“The reason I am saying that is that licensing board areas in Scotland are quite small. A national approach would be much more preferable. The real pity is, it looks as if we might end up without any effective price controls.”
The SNP Government had plans to impose a minimum pricing policy, but opposition parties blocked the move.
Photo used under a Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user bulliver.