Pub owners and venues with drinks licences must take responsibility for drinks promotions held on their premises, even if they are run by third parties, according to alcohol watchdog MEAS today.
The call from MEAS (Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society Limited) follows recent decisions by the Independent Complaints Panel which found that two drinks promotions were in breach of the MEAS Code of Practice on the Naming, Packaging and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks.
The Panel noted in both cases that excessive drinking had been encouraged and that it is the license holder who must adhere to the Liquor Licensing Laws, regardless of who is running the promotions.
Both complaints were made by members of the public and related to Dublin venues holding student events.
In the first case the complaint related to an 'Ents Christmas Party' being held at the Purty Kitchen in Temple Bar on November 28th last. A promotional poster advertised 'mulled wine, Santa's helpers with vodka supersoakers! €2 drinks! Double vodka red bull €5.50'. 'Supersoakers' are water pistols filled with vodka which would then be squirted into people's mouths. The Panel concluded that this was a drinking game, likely to encourage excessive drinking.
The Panel noted that The Purty Kitchen, as the licensee, has the ability to impose conditions on any third party it rents its premises to, and that it is the license holder that is required to adhere to the Liquor Licensing Laws.
The second complaint related to a Trinity College Students Union event called 'Twisted Tuesday' which was held at the Citibar & Venue on Dame Street. The Panel considered the use of the term 'twisted' and the student market at which it was aimed, and ruled that the phrasing encouraged excessive drinking.
Citibar & Venue said that the event was run by the Students Union and that when a complaint was made, every action was taken to pull all promotional material with 'Twisted Tuesday' printed on it.
Chief Executive of MEAS, Fionnuala Sheehan, praised the people who informed MEAS of these alcohol promotions. "All complaints are made in the strictest confidence and are treated seriously. It is particularly useful when flyers, advertised posters or photographs accompany the complaint itself," she said.