LONDON, Jan 20 (AFP) - Britain's most senior policeman called Thursday for government plans to allow pubs and bars to open 24 hours a day to be reconsidered, due to what he termed "an epidemic of binge drinking" in the country.
"In the past few years we have seen an epidemic of binge drinking," Sir John Stevens, who steps down as head of London's Metropolitan Police at the end of the month, said in a newspaper interview.
Under a law already passed by parliament, which comes into force in November, drinking establishments can open all through the night, as against 11:00 pm under licensing laws first introduced in World War I to prevent excessive drinking among armament workers.
The government argues that the looser rules will both prevent pub-goers knocking back their drinks at speed before closing time and also stop outbreaks of violence on city streets when hordes of drunk youngsters pour out of bars at the same time.
However, doctors have warned that all-night drinking will mean more alcohol consumed, while police say that staggered closing times will simply stretch their resources.
In an interview with London's Evening Standard newspaper, Stevens reiterated an earlier warning that his officers already had trouble finding enough police cells for those they arrested after drink-related incidents.
"There has been a major trend towards drunken, loutish behaviour: assaults on police are up 40 per cent. It's not just London -- it's nationwide," he told the paper.
"I feel now that we should just slow down a little on this proposal... let's have another look at what all-hours drinking could mean.
"We are currently arresting more people than ever before -- 30,000 more last year. We have great difficulty finding the cell space for those we arrest. We are now taking people out of London to process them," he said.
"If 24-hour drinking came in, we would need to reinforce staffing levels in the early hours.
"That would mean switching resources from somewhere else. I -- and a majority of my colleagues -- agree this is a policy we need to have another look at."
The government has pledged to go ahead with the plans, saying that in the long term it should mean less binge drinking among Britons.
01/20/2005 14:11 GMT - AFP