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"Tube":3ko1iy0i wrote: A couple of foreign friends of mine don't generally go to pubs here as they are too expensive and they don't serve food.[/quote:3ko1iy0i]Aaaaaand we're back to the detrimental effect that our licensing regime has on our drink culture. I think things are gradually shifting, with new places like The Black Sheep showing where Irish pub culture is hopefully going.

Absolutely. Michael McDowell and his café bars, taking the power away from the publicans, and forcing them to change in the process, was truly a man ahead of his time. Pity he was no match for the FF/vintners who did a great dis-service to this country while protecting their own interests.

I suppose it comes under "Education" but that is unfocused.

Trying to stigmatise drunkenness is direct, simple and it has never been tried. I don't know why no one has suggested it before.

Can we take this message to our TDs? Should we try to organise a letter writing campaign?

I hesitate to suggest this, but we could increase our numbers by posting the idea on boards.

I really want to run with this. Someone needs to speak out and I can't hear anyone else making much sense.

"sbillings":14vqosyp wrote: Trying to stigmatise drunkenness is direct, simple and it has never been tried.[/quote:14vqosyp]I think it has. Wasn't this[/url:14vqosyp] it?

Absolutely. But I meant as a government policy designed to change peoples attitudes.

I mention drinkaware and I do think they have the approach right, but our government is pulling in a different direction and that's not helping.

Here[/url:vvy8evg6]'s where they did it in NI, and this[/url:vvy8evg6] is what they followed it up with -- a campaign that sort-of says the opposite.