I note Dave Stewart's comments following pleas from Chief Constable Stephen House to crack down on pubs serving drunken customers (Letters, January 27).
Mr Stewart may be surprised to learn that training of all licensed premises staff is already a legal requirement in Scotland, although the quality depends on the trainer.
The suggestion that licensees should share criminal responsibility for the actions of drunk people is flawed. What happens if the person has been in other pubs prior to the offence? What happens if they have been drinking at home before going out?
There is no emphasis on individual responsibility in the alcohol debate. If someone drinks irresponsibly they should take the blame for their actions.
It is too easy to blame rogue licensees for the nation's alcohol problem. Let's deal with the difficult issues: the lack of constructive leisure pursuits, meaningful employment and self-worth, and the poverty which blights many communities in Scotland and leads to alcohol abuse. Let's also remember the positives: the benefits of licensed retail in terms of the economy, tourism and job creation, and remember that people have enjoyed the responsible social consumption of alcohol for millenia.
Stephen McGowan,
Lindsays Solicitors,
1 Royal Bank Place, Glasgow.
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