A new trial is being rolled out in Durham city centre, aiming to crackdown on boozy Brits who pre-drink before a night out.
The scheme is to help tackle ‘pre-loading’ before a night out, as visitors and locals will be analysed before they are allowed to enter a club.
Breathalysers will be used as a lights system, meaning staff will be alerted if the device detects potentially unsafe blood alcohol levels.
Martin Preston, Founder and Chief Executive at Delamere, shares why he thinks this could be extremely beneficial for those who drink a dangerously high amounts of alcohol before entering a nightclub.
“Having a substantial amount of alcohol in your bloodstream before even arriving at a nightclub can be extremely dangerous, and lead to a person making unconsciously bad decisions and not being aware of their surroundings.
“Pre-loading is something many people will do to save money on buying alcohol in a bar or nightclub. However, permitting people into a nightclub who have already consumed a high amount of alcohol can lead to aggressive behaviour, hospitalisation if too much is consumed, and even driving under the influence.
“The UK is known for its heavy drinking culture, and particularly during freshers week, students will binge drink and party for several days, causing extreme harm to the body by drinking way over the weekly recommended limit.
“Particularly as the cost of living crisis is on the rise, pre-loading is a cheaper alternative to purchasing high priced alcohol in nightclubs and bars.
“Implementing stricter rules should encourage people to be more subconsciously aware of the amount they are drinking before they enter a public environment and act more responsibly.
“The Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines state you should consume no more than 14 alcoholic units a week and that these units should be spread out evenly over seven days.
“To put this in real terms, 14 units is the equivalent to 6 pints of standard 4% lager, 6 standard glasses of 13% abv wine or 14 shots of a spirit. If you follow the safer drinking medical recommendations, you can still enjoy alcohol but without the risks associated with drinking too much.”
