Blackpool Council update on ‘vertical drinking’

Standing up in pubs and bars while taking a drink is not going to be banned in Blackpool, says the council.

The authority was responding after some national headlines proclaimed that Blackpool was one of four local authorities to adopt licensing rules restricting ‘vertical drinking’ – standing while drinking alcohol, usually inside a venue.

Westminster City Council is one authority considering a policy which is aimed at discouraging drunkenness and excessing vertical drinking in Soho and the West End by encouraging more seating and table service instead of open bar space.

But Blackpool council says that while it is not considering a ban on such activities, encouraging premises with a “broader offering “ has been part of its licensing police for around 10 years.

It has been suggested that people who remain standing while imbibing are more likely to drink faster and become embroiled in drunkenness later on.

A spokesperson for Blackpool Council said: “This isn’t anything new – this approach has been part of our licensing policy for more than 10 years.

“Our intention is to encourage premises with a broader offering – combining food, entertainment, and alcohol – and appealing to a wide range of customer types.

“Those tend to be restaurants, entertainment venues, and family-friendly attractions – where alcohol is ancillary to the overall offer, rather than drinking being the primary purpose of the venue.

“These types of venues tend to contribute positively to a vibrant and inclusive night-time economy.

“This certainly isn’t a ban on ‘vertical drinking’ establishments, though. Suggestions that people can’t order drinks at a bar or stand within premises, or that table service is mandatory are all misleading.

“It just means that for premises seeking to create a venue that’s primarily for ‘vertical drinking’ we’d expect robust measures to be in place in their operating schedule, to promote and uphold licensing objectives.

“We are also approaching this from a Public Health perspective. Alcohol-related harm in Blackpool is significant so we don’t want to make decisions that could make this worse, so as not to add to the cumulative impact of alcohol-related harm in our town.”