Publicans in Londonderry today voiced their anger at proposals by MLA Pat Ramsey for a levy to be slapped on publicans to tackle alcohol misuse.

Speaking in the Assembly Chamber yesterday, the SDLP’s Foyle MLA also called for a blanket ban on drinking in public places and for the raising of the age limit to buy alcohol in off-licences to 21.

The Derry Vintners’ Association chairman Les Doherty warned that the proposals — if adopted — could be a final nail in the coffin for many landlords and vintners at a time when draught sales had fallen by 19%.

The move comes just weeks after Derry City Council agreed to examine scrapping existing bye-laws prohibiting alcohol in areas of the city centre and replacing them with a more extensive bye-law.

Raising the matter in the Assembly, Mr Ramsey said: “Abuse of alcohol is the single most challenging social, health and economic problem for society.

“It is difficult to identify a single other issue that causes such damage to people, to communities and to our economy. That is why I proposed this debate today.”

Mr Ramsey recommended that the Assembly adopt a number of new policy initiatives, which would include a ban on price promotions and below-

cost selling of alcohol.

He has also called for consideration of a minimum price per unit of alcohol, and a ban on alcohol advertising.

He said: “There should be blanket bans on on-street drinking and drinking in public places — with restricted permission given on a case-by-case basis.

“We need to put measures in place to ensure the traceability of alcohol back to the point of sale — and back to the purchaser if technically possible.

“We need to ensure that anyone supplying alcohol to underage drinkers will be caught and dealt with effectively,” Mr Ramsey added.

“We should raise the lower age limit of purchasing alcohol from off-licences to age 21 — to prevent alcohol getting into the hands of children and to ensure that young adults consume alcohol in controlled environments — this measure is being considered by the Scottish Executive.”

Further measures he has advocated include the charging of a social responsibility tariff on bars and night clubs to contribute to the additional policing and health spending incurred as a result of the sale and consumption of alcohol.

“We need to ensure that bars will not sell people alcohol until they are drunk — and if bars do that they should lose their licences,” Mr Ramsey said.

In a hard-hitting response, Mr Doherty said today he was amazed Mr Ramsey “didn’t even say hello” to the local Vintners before drafting his proposals.

Mr Doherty said: “We are already bringing forward a number of proposals with the Civic Alcohol Forum in Derry and he should not be shouting off without conferring.

We pay top dollar for security and entertainment. There is nothing left to give

“We are a big employer and a lot of our people are below subsistence at the present time. We are hoping for a good Christmas to keep some fat on the cow.

“The way the budget has gone and within the current climate, with draft sales in Northern Ireland down 19%, he is looking to take another slice of a pie that is already gone.”

Mr Doherty said that local publicans and their staff were the ones containing situations in the city.

“We provide good employment, the safest places for people to be in, we pay top dollar for security and entertainment. There is nothing left to give.”

Mr Ramsey insisted yesterday however: “The time is right to take action on alcohol abuse.

“The people are ready for it and would support it, the problems will be more difficult to fix in future because they are getting worse — we should take action now.

“The big ticket issues relate to price, consumption, accessibility, regulation and on promotion of a cultural shift away from alcohol abuse towards healthier lifestyles.

“Some of these are within the remit of our own Executive.”