Alcohol abuse is costing Brighton and Hove taxpayers more than £100 million a year.
A report into the city’s drink problem has revealed almost 100 residents end up in hospital each week as a result of excessive drinking.
Among the ideas put forward by experts to tackle binge drinking are promoting tea houses and getting pubs and bars to support outdoor activities such as roller skating and go-karting.
The report – written by Tom Scanlon, the director of public health for the city – is to be presented to Brighton and Hove City Council’s health and wellbeing committee on Wednesday.
It claims that two people die each week in the city as a direct result of alcohol abuse.
In addition, 98 people each week are admitted to city hospitals as a result of alcohol misuse with 66 arriving by ambulance.
Teenage drunks
According to the report, every day a 13 to 18-year-old is admitted to A&E as a result of alcohol.
City youngsters are also almost twice as likely as their peers nationwide to have been drunk three or four times in the last four weeks.
Carol Theobald, vice chair of the health and wellbeing committee, said: “This has been a problem in our city for a long time and we want to try and help.
“We will discuss the report at length when we meet next week and think very seriously about going forward.”
The report also highlights that alcohol related deaths are twice the national average but most occur in deprived parts of the city and half the reported cases of domestic violence are in some way linked to alcohol.
It is estimated that alcohol abuse costs the city £107 million.
More than £70 million goes towards policing alcohol related crime, £24.5 million is on the economic effects and £10.7 million on the impact on health.
The figures
- A number of solutions have been put forward for the committee to consider.
- They include the promotion of alcohol free late-night venues such as cafes and tea houses.
- It has also been suggested that the city’s bars and clubs should support other activities like go-karting, football, roller skating and cinema shows.
- Greater support for local community bars rather than city centre venues is suggested along with banning inappropriate advertising and marketing such as cheap shots and happy hour.
- Other ideas to be considered are a restriction on the number of city centre premises and increased education.
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