George Best and the duties of the publican

Daisy Hill · 2003-07-14T23:23:43+00:00

[Well, it's a bit quiet in this group, so I thought I'd just toss in agrenade.]The media are full of stories about Mr Geo. Best, sometimeinternational footballer and now Britain's most famous livertransplantee. He's been on the wagon for quite some time following hisop but apparently rolled off the wagon rather spectacularly at theweekend, to the extent that the police were called (allegations ofassault, see and).There are reports that his wife is critical of the pub for serving himalcohol. There are also reports that the pub operator, Young'sBrewery, has rejected any such criticism, saying that they "employpublicans, not doctors".Now, I thought that one of the things about a pub was that it'slicensed, and indeed its landlord is licensed, to look after the placeand the drinkers therein. Various bodies which campaign to preservethe British public house make much of the idea that people drink therein a relatively safe environment, safe that is from the ill effects ofover-indulging. As opposed to getting ratted at home or on a parkbench somewhere, where there may be no-one to sober you up.It's certainly a criminal offence for a landlord to serve intoxicatingliquor to someone who is already drunk. Shouldn't it also be part of alandlord's responsibilities to decline service to those who, forwhatever reason, literally can't take their drink?I think Young's should be asking their pub manager (tenant?) somepretty searching questions, not dismissing the incident as none oftheir business.

Jul 14, 2003 20 Replies

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loobyloo 23 years ago

"Ruff Sailor" - a made-up name if ever I've heard one - said

Well, looking round Lancaster some weekend nights (or rather, reading about what happens there), you might have a point.

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George Best and the duties of the publican

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