Changes to Isle of Man alcohol measurements scrapped

The consultation looked at several new measurements

Plans to change the way alcohol is sold on the Isle of Man have been scrapped.

Current regulations mean draught beer must be sold in pints (equivalent to 568ml), halves (284ml) or the little-known one-third measurement.

A public consultation looked at introducing one-quarter (142ml) and two-thirds (379ml) pint measures.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said feedback from a public consultation showed people were "unanimously opposed to the changes".

Currently, spirits on the island are sold in one-fifth of a gill measures, the same as in Japan, rather than the 25ml or 35ml measures used in the UK.

The Isle of Man OFT held the consultation after sections of the liquor trade asked for the changes.

Brewery owner and landlord Martin Brunnschweiler was one of the first people to request the changes.

He said: "I am not angry about the decision, I can see the reasoning.

"I thought the new measurements for beer and cider would make it easier to sample a variety of different beers."

Alan Cooper, who organises the annual Camra Real Ale Festival on the Isle of Man, said: "The difference is a quarter pint and third is a couple of sips, but we get a lot of people who think the two-thirds would have made a great addition."

The OFT said a further consultation over fortified wine measurements would take place within the next 12 months.