Minimum alcohol pricing is nigh

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

How many people here are considering regular trips up North for a stock up?

Problem is this will hit the off-licenses and not the pubs, as peopel will still go otu with abotu the same frequency anyway. So the vinters win anyway.

hatrickpatrick

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Problem is this will hit the off-licenses and not the pubs, as peopel will still go otu with about the same frequency anyway. So the vinters win anyway.

Actually I can see it backfiring and hitting the pubs too. Committed binge drinkers will opt to save up money for fewer sessions rather than drink fewer pre-drinks before the same number of nights out. So where somebody would previously have had two cans before going to the pub and having two pints twice a week, they will now do the same once a week, in order to save money while still being able to get properly trollied.

So really the only people in the business who'll benefit from this are clubs which do massive drink promotion nights (like the €2 / €3 pints you often get in city late-night clubs) and possible Wetherspoons. If anything, it has the potential to actually hit the VFI harder than it already has been, at least as far as cash strapped young people are concerned.

worded

Fcukers

I have the occasional bottle at night to wind down

Nanny pro vintners state

VinLieger

Ive contacted my TD's about it and ill be going to one of their upcoming meetings about the budget and im going to raise it. Its ironically being held in a pub:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

McMurphy

VinLieger wrote: »

Ive contacted my TD's about it and ill be going to one of their upcoming meetings about the budget and im going to raise it. Its ironically being held in a pub:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

You couldn't make it up.

In the off chance this actually comes to pass, in the name of equality, fairness and in keeping with health concerns...

Perhaps some doo-gooder captain no craic minister should try and legislate for the mandatory introduction of some health warning signs, and restrictions in pubs?

• Big signs on the walls reminding the consumer of the apparently dangerous implications of having his pint of plain/halfun of jimmy etc
  
• A limit of drinks per customer.
  
• A further restriction on the hours a licensed premises may operate, (perhaps to mimic those that they lobbied the offies be subjected to)
  
• A yearly mandatory levy that must be payable by publicans that would be ring fenced, and paid directly into our health care system.

Just a few suggestions. Doubtful the VFI would endorse them though.

pilly

Rick Shaw wrote: »

You couldn't make it up.

In the off chance this actually comes to pass, in the name of equality, fairness and in keeping with health concerns...

Perhaps some doo-gooder captain no craic minister should try and legislate for the mandatory introduction of some health warning signs, and restrictions in pubs?

• Big signs on the walls reminding the consumer of the apparently dangerous implications of having his pint of plain/halfun of jimmy etc
• A limit of drinks per customer.
• A further restriction on the hours a licensed premises may operate, (perhaps to mimic those that they lobbied the offies be subjected to)
• A yearly mandatory levy that must be payable by publicans that would be ring fenced, and paid directly into our health care system.

Just a few suggestions. Doubtful the VFI would endorse them though.

You know your last point is actually a good one. I wouldn't mind at all the price of alcohol going up if the raise was ring-fenced for detox beds and rehab centres throughout the country. But of course it won't be.

6541

I get really annoyed about crap like this. I thought that as we are in Europe they cannot put the price of booze up, am I right ? Did I read that Scotland tried but some legal issue stopped them ?

I used to smoke and the last few years before I gave up I never once bought cigarettes from Irish shopkeepers. It is so easy to buy any amount of cigarettes from eastern European gangs for a fiver a pack why would anyone go into a shop and buy them at 10 euro plus.

If they put an extra tariff on booze I will buy booze from the cheapest source including black market.

VinLieger

6541 wrote: »

If they put an extra tariff on booze I will buy booze from the cheapest source including black market.

Far safer and ultimately cheaper to brew your own

listermint

Ive contacted so far 9 TDs about this, response from 1 and it was their secretary awknowledging receipt.


We have to as a collective start contacting these people they will plough on with this thinking everyone is oblivious.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Rick Shaw wrote: »

I have emailed all the TDs in my area reminding them that my vote was only lent to any of them last time out.

I attached a snippet from FGs 2011 manifesto, where they state categorically that they wished to ban "below cost selling" of alcohol, not for health reasons (as is now being claimed) but in a vain effort to get arses back into their VFI buddies pubs.

And letting them know that any party that would support legislation that servea little other purpose than bolster drinks giants profit margins will lose any vote from my household and extended family.

I suggest others do the same.

So you'll be voting for FF in the next election as protest ...

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

More articles about this today, few quotes about hoping to get it passed before Halloween :eek:

Time to start stocking up, just in case. FF is in favour of minimum pricing just like FG, so backbenchers might have a harder time blocking it than we might have hoped...

.... oh, ok, maybe not.

But people who abhor this idea will vote for one of them, guaranteed.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Just boycotts pubs for one. No will power or solidarity though, and the governemtn knows this.

VinLieger wrote: »

Ive contacted my TD's about it and ill be going to one of their upcoming meetings about the budget and im going to raise it. Its ironically being held in a pub:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Now what you do here, is go - get everyone to go - but evereyone just drinks tap water.

BobMc

VinLieger wrote: »

Far safer and ultimately cheaper to brew your own

When I first stumbled on this thread it made me look into homebrew. Did my research and bought the kit, never looked back, now only ocassionaly buy a few treat beers from the offie. Added bonus the quality is better and a great sense of achievment, If you are really into your beers i think its the only way to go

kylith

Nice to see the government really helping out the bootleggers with this minimum pricing feckology.

McMurphy

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

So you'll be voting for FF in the next election as protest ...


....

How so? I thought they apparently were in support of this also?

elperello

Rick Shaw wrote: »

How so? I thought they apparently were in support of this also?

AFAIK FG,FF,SF,LAB all support the bill.

That just shows how difficult it will be to influence any changes.

VinLieger

elperello wrote: »

AFAIK FG,FF,SF,LAB all support the bill.

That just shows how difficult it will be to influence any changes.

I really dont understand SF's support

Fr Tod Umptious

VinLieger wrote: »

I really dont understand SF's support

Why not ?

SFs base is in poorer, working class, welfare dependant, inner city areas.

Addiction problems are a big problem among that base.

Advocating against higher alcohol prices will not help them when they meet concerned constituents of those areas.

KrustyUCC

The scottish case is still going through the UK Supreme Court afaik

Their proposed legislation is experimental for 6 years

I wonder is our one time lines like that?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Rick Shaw wrote: »

How so? I thought they apparently were in support of this also?

My point entirely.

Instead of protesting and actually making a difference, people will vote for a party that still supports it insted of voting for an independant, minor party. Most won;t even bring up the subject when the candidates start canvassing.

The government doesnt do this because for health reasons, or for economic reasons, it does it because it can.

VinLieger

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Why not ?

SFs base is in poorer, working class, welfare dependant, inner city areas.

Addiction problems are a big problem among that base.

Advocating against higher alcohol prices will not help them when they meet concerned constituents of those areas.

That demographic don't vote on social/health issues though, they vote on whats going to be removed/added to their pocket each month

hatrickpatrick

6541 wrote: »

I get really annoyed about crap like this. I thought that as we are in Europe they cannot put the price of booze up, am I right ? Did I read that Scotland tried but some legal issue stopped them ?

ECJ ruling was irritatingly inconclusive, saying that it was probably illegal but ultimately up to national courts to decide. Scottish Court of Session (genuinely the name of the court ) decided that the health benefits superseded competition law in this case. The question is, is anyone going to take a case in the Irish courts? I highly doubt any businesses will, and seeing how expensive it is for ordinary people to go to court, the only way I can see it happening is if a bunch of us crowd-fund a challenge.

VinLieger

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

ECJ ruling was irritatingly inconclusive, saying that it was probably illegal but ultimately up to national courts to decide. Scottish Court of Session (genuinely the name of the court ) decided that the health benefits superseded competition law in this case. The question is, is anyone going to take a case in the Irish courts? I highly doubt any businesses will, and seeing how expensive it is for ordinary people to go to court, the only way I can see it happening is if a bunch of us crowd-fund a challenge.

I dunno some of the smaller craft brewers and startup whiskey distillers might be able to band together, they have all been fvcked over by the vintners and diageo for decades

Leroy42

VinLieger wrote: »

I dunno some of the smaller craft brewers and startup whiskey distillers might be able to band together, they have all been fvcked over by the vintners and diageo for decades

Why would they do that? This suits them as much as the big brewers. Gets rid of the cheaper alternatives

VinLieger

Leroy42 wrote: »

Why would they do that? This suits them as much as the big brewers. Gets rid of the cheaper alternatives

Why would the whiskey distillers in Scotland take the case to the high court?

The main market for smaller craft brewers is the off trade so the pubs win if this goes through and off trade footfall decreases, they have consistently been pushing against the craft brewers by not offerring more of their stuff as options in pubs and continuing with the tired old set of diageo only taps.

10000maniacs

end of the road wrote: »

minimum pricing doesn't work. where it has been introduced they're has been no effect on consumption. waste of time, failure, pointless.

Not pointless if you are a bar owner or a politician who is related to a bar owner. its a pretty good law if you fit into that category.
Its more Fine Gael faux nanny state hyperbole.

Zubeneschamali

VinLieger wrote: »

I dunno some of the smaller craft brewers

This'll be good for smaller craft brewers.

listermint

10000maniacs wrote: »

Not pointless if you are a bar owner or a politician who is related to a bar owner. its a pretty good law if you fit into that category.
Its more Fine Gael faux nanny state hyperbole.

Yes it is pointless, you wont force a populace back into pubs when the simple fact are consumption is down, tastes have changed lifestyles have changed and the product you are offering isnt in keeping with that.


In short , its pointless

VinLieger

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

This'll be good for smaller craft brewers.

Possibly as yes they are already expensive so cheper beer will come more in line with their stuff and given a choice when paying the same people will buy what objectively tastes better HOWEVER if this achieves the Vintners objective of reducing the off trade across the board with people returning to the pubs it may actually hurt them too

RoboRat

I don't bother buying drink anymore, just brew it myself. Costs about €0.45 cent for 500ml of high quality 13% cider that tastes delicious and is super simple to make. You can also buy kits which are just add water and let them ferment, they work out around €0.80 for a 500ml bottle.

I get wine kits and make the wine too, costs less than €1 per bottle and it's a gorgeous shiraz, much nicer than a lot of stuff you pay €10 upwards for.

Small outlay initially getting the equipment - cost me about €100 for a 33L fermenter with tap/ thermometer, brewing yeast, brewing sugar, bottle cleaner, hydrometer, 30 x reusable 500ml swing top bottles, carbonation tabs... you can do it far cheaper if you want to reuse stuff you have like bottles and buckets.

Some really good recipes on the brewing forum and I guarantee once you make it yourself, you won't want to go back to the mass produced crap. Oh, and no hangovers and I used to suffer really badly with hangovers.

10000maniacs

listermint wrote: »

Yes it is pointless, you wont force a populace back into pubs when the simple fact are consumption is down, tastes have changed lifestyles have changed and the product you are offering isnt in keeping with that.


In short , its pointless

I am with you man, all I am saying is the politicians have different motives for introducing it than a concern for the nations health. They see a 24 slab of Guinness for €24 at Christmas/Easter/June Bank Holiday and say to themselves, how dare they rob our coffers of a potential €24.
That's all that motivates them.

Cina

RoboRat wrote: »

I don't bother buying drink anymore, just brew it myself. Costs about €0.45 cent for 500ml of high quality 13% cider that tastes delicious and is super simple to make. You can also buy kits which are just add water and let them ferment, they work out around €0.80 for a 500ml bottle.

I get wine kits and make the wine too, costs less than €1 per bottle and it's a gorgeous shiraz, much nicer than a lot of stuff you pay €10 upwards for.

Small outlay initially getting the equipment - cost me about €100 for a 33L fermenter with tap/ thermometer, brewing yeast, brewing sugar, bottle cleaner, hydrometer, 30 x reusable 500ml swing top bottles, carbonation tabs... you can do it far cheaper if you want to reuse stuff you have like bottles and buckets.

Some really good recipes on the brewing forum and I guarantee once you make it yourself, you won't want to go back to the mass produced crap. Oh, and no hangovers and I used to suffer really badly with hangovers.

I'll get you, Beer Baron.