24-hour home delivery service slammed
Rev Little
A 24-HOUR dial-a-drink service for Inverness which has the backing of hundreds of locals looks as though time will be called on it before it even launches.
A page on a social networking site advertises the venture, which would allow people to order booze direct to their front doors.
But the round-the-clock scheme has been slammed by addiction workers who have branded it as "wicked".
And licensing board chiefs have told the HN the service could go ahead, but only between the hours of 10am and 10pm, the same times people can already buy carry outs at off-licenses, supermarkets, pubs and hotels.
The plan, similar to schemes running in other UK cities, was revealed on a Facebook page, Inverness 24 Hour Alcohol Service - Delivered to your door.
Set up by IT analyst Matthew Quinn (25) of Milton of Leys, and Jamie MacIver (24), also of Inverness, it has attracted almost 700 "fans".
The page explains: "If we get enough 'likes' for the page, the business will commence."
It goes on to say after people have chosen from a menu, customers can text or phone an order. Within 25 minutes, the firm would ring when it arrived outside the address and items would be passed through the passenger window as drivers would not leave the car for safety reasons.
Facebook member Martin Grimley is among those who have added a message of encouragement.
He stated: "You guys shall become a valuable service to all. I salute you."
Matthew, who is originally from Manchester, said the proposal is just an idea at the moment, and admitted a 24-hour service could only run if licensing laws changed.
He said: "A number of similar services run in Manchester, and the Facebook page was set up to see what interest there is.
"You have got to approach something like this with a sensible head, for example if you noticed someone using the service repeatedly. If this went ahead we would be promoting drink safety campaigns."
However, Rev Richard Burkitt, director of Merkinch charity For The Right Reasons, which helps people beat drink and drugs addictions, believes this idea would be disastrous, leading to further booze-fuelled violence, anti-social behaviour and binge drinking.
He said: "We would be opposed to this to the extent we would lobby against it.
"It's already ridiculously easy to get hold of cheap alcohol in large volumes and to have alcohol put in people's faces even more is extremely dangerous.
"Throughout Britain, we have a culture of dangerous drinking so this idea is quite insane.
"It would also be damaging to hotels and we believe drinking in hotels is safer than drinking at home.
"It would also be far easier for a person with a drink problem to lapse.
"It's an almost wicked idea."
Donald Somerville, clerk to Highland Council's licensing board, confirmed a license would be needed for such a scheme to run legally, but a 24-hour service would not get the green light.
He said "Alcohol off-sales can only be sold in the Highlands between 10am and 10pm, seven days a week.
"For anyone wanting to set up this business, the alcohol would have to be sold between those hours, which would limit a 24-hour service somewhat."
Ramsay McGhee, manager of the Highlands and Islands Licensed Trade Association, added that while drink could not be sold between 10pm and 10am, it is legal to deliver booze which has been bought between 10am and 10pm between 6am and midnight.
But he added: "Whoever's behind this don't seem to have done much by way of research. It goes against the objectives of the 2005 licensing act."
