Parents are to blame for under-age binge drinking and so are drunken stars, says pubs boss

12 April 2012

Outspoken: Tim Martin accuses politicians of 'showboating' on the issue of underage drinking

Tim Martin, chairman of JD Wetherspoon, said some families were even driving their 16-year-old children to pubs.

He also blamed the booze culture on celebrities who are repeatedly pictured on drinking bouts.

Mr Martin admitted, however, that his pubs were not "angelic" and were out to "make a buck".

His 628 outlets regularly offer cut-price drink promotions which critics say encourage booze-fuelled yobbishness and crime.

Unveiling six-monthly pre-tax profits at his firm of £28.5million, Mr Martin said the Government's campaign against binge drinking would fail.

Ministers are focusing on punishing pubs which sell alcohol to youngsters. Earlier this week, the Home Office threatened a "two-strikes-and-you're-out" policy.

Mr Martin claimed targeting police resources at keeping underage people out of pubs did not address the fact that parents "actively collaborate" in their drinking.

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Excess all areas: drinking antics of stars like Lily Allen 'are being copied by the public'

"One hundred per cent of parents in the country went to pubs when they were 16 or 17," he declared. "Almost 100 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds drink with the permission of their parents today.

"Lots of parents I know, the responsible ones, drop kids off at the pub - yet it is unlawful for them to do so. The activity the Government is proposing is to fine pubs if they are caught.

"The whole thing needs to be thought through. There is a problem but it is not being addressed."

On celebrities, Mr Martin said: "The central problems concerning people who misbehave when drinking are cultural ones.

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Girls Aloud Sarah Harding and Nicola Roberts left this year's Brit Awards a little worse for wear

"This is demonstrated by examples of poor behaviour by a number of celebrities during the recent televised Brit Awards and by habitual drunken celebrations in the context of sporting events and other occasions, which then receive huge press coverage."

Mr Martin criticised the "showboating" of politicians on the issue.

The Tories yesterday unveiled plans for big tax rises on alcopops and strong beers, saying they want to cut consumption by half.

George Osborne, the Tory shadow chancellor, said: "All the conversations I have had over the last year with police officers, supermarkets and those whose lives are made miserable by the behaviour of binge drinkers have convinced me we need to take targeted action against the super-strength drinks and alcopops favoured by young drinkers."

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Sport stars seen celebrating with alcohol, like cricketer Andrew Flintoff, 'are encouraging teens to drink'

Under the Tory plans, the cost of a bottle of alcopop such as Bacardi Breezer or Smirnoff Ice could rise by 50p, a can of Carlsberg Special Brew or Tennents Super by 32p and a three-litre bottle of Diamond White strong cider by £1.25.

Chancellor Alistair Darling is believed to be planning to increase the duty on spirits for the first time in a decade in next Wednesday's Budget.

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