Longer pub hours 'cause more abuse and disorder'

PCC Joy Allen said police and health services were "buckling" under the fallout of dealing with alcohol abuse

A police chief has criticised government plans to allow pubs and bars to stay open for longer.

Joy Allen, Durham and Darlington's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), said the proposals could lead to more drink-related "serious violence" and health problems, with the taxpayer having to foot the bill.

The government said it wanted to make it easier for venues to serve food outside and host more live music by changing their licensing conditions "without unnecessary red tape".

However, Allen said people's lives and health should come before "consumer demand and profits".

She also said public services were already buckling under the harm caused by alcohol abuse.

"Longer drinking hours would make harmful drinking even more accessible and would undoubtedly increase the risk of serious violence, intoxication, sexual harassment and gender-based violence," she said.

"They will also place extra pressure on policing resources and budgets at a time when they are already severely overstretched."

The government said it wanted to make it easier for pubs to change their licences without "red tape"

The costs of crime and disorder related to alcohol are estimated to cost about £812m in north-east England and are linked to 700,000 alcohol-related violent incidents a year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Tackling alcohol crime is part of the PCC's new Police, Crime and Justice Plan for 2026.

Ms Allen said: "Without a late-night levy in place, who would be picking up the tab for the increased policing costs for the extended hours and the likely fallout on crime levels - the taxpayer?

"I implore the government to take the alcohol crisis seriously and to take heed of the growing evidence of its impact on society, without industry influence."

The government said over the next four weeks it would hear views from the hospitality sector on the proposals.

A spokesperson said: "These changes are about making it easier for pubs and restaurants to change their licensing conditions without unnecessary red tape."