Churches want end to cheap alcohol

Churches are calling for end to the easy availability of cheap alcohol as a first step to tackling Britain's problem with excessive drinking.

The call has been made by the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB), the United Reformed Church (URC) and the Methodist Church after a YouGov survey they commissioned found widespread concern over the impact of drinking in local communities.

The survey asked people to judge the effects of alcohol on the area within walking distance from their home or where they use local facilities.

Just under two thirds of respondents (61%) said they felt excessive drinking was a problem in their neighbourhood.

The Churches believe the problem is being exacerbated by the availability of cheap alcohol and could be redressed by the introduction of a minimum price per unit.

Such a move has already received the backing of the health watchdog, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

“We know that it’s people in local communities that bear the brunt of the easy availability of cheap alcohol,” said Ruth Pickles, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference and a former alcohol misuse counsellor.

“It affects their health services, their streets, their families and friends. As Christians, we want to work within communities to help find solutions that really work and protect those most vulnerable.”

The Government has ignored calls for a nationwide cap on alcohol prices but the initiative is being considered by a number of local councils, including Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

With Britain’s love of boozing costing the NHS around £2.7 billion per year, Moderator of the URC General Assembly the Rev Dr Kirsty Thorpe said it was encouraging to see local authorities taking the initiative.

"We would like many more councils to take action in response to the alarming rise in liver damage in younger people. Cheap alcohol is the real issue here.”

The Rev Jonathan Edwards, BUGB General Secretary, said that removing cheap alcohol was a “vital first step”.

“The crucial need is to get to grips with the reason for excessive drinking,” he said.

“For some it is a form of protest against society, for others it is a personal cry for help.

"We need to listen harder and find ways in which we can encourage a sense of purpose and self-worth which makes excessive drinking unnecessary.”