Late-night bars and pubs face levy to meet cost of policing binge drinkers

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/20/late-night-bars-pubs-levy-policing-binge-drinkers

From now on, local authorities have the possibility to force late-night bars and pubs to pay an additional fee. Normal closing time for pubs in the UK is 11 pm, but some can request a license to stay opened longer. However, the late-night pubs are commonly associated with alcohol caused nuisance. Especially the binge drinking, drinking as much as possible to become drunk, is a problem in the pub life in the United Kingdom. Half of all violent crimes are caused by attackers under the influence of alcohol. This costs police forces an annual 7 billion pounds.

The British pub is so much different from what we know as a café here in the Netherlands. The pub, short for public house, is a place for people to gather in their spare time. This can even be on the middle of the day, as opposed to the nightlife here in the Netherlands. I can imagine this can lead to problems with alcoholism, so I can understand the pubs close early. Another thing I can imagine is that the visitors from the early closing pubs going off to the late-night pubs, with all the consequences that come with it.