Here we go again.
The issue involved here is a generation who are made to believe that the only way to enjoy a night out is to drink as much alcohol as quickly as possible, in order to become insensible - with attendent violence, illness, etc etc.
The government's response to this malaise was to increase opening hours so that we could enjoy a 'cafe society' as they do in Europe.
The difference is Europeans drink alcohol because they enjoy a drink, usually with dinner, and this is a million miles away from the avowed intention of memory-erasing drunkenesss which is the aim of most weekend revellers.
So the concept was doomed to fail - as anyone with any insight knew - and the government, out of touch as they are, pressed through the legislation, and we finish up with these weekend sights in our streets.
Once again, we need to educate children that a night out does not revolve around as much alcolhol as quickly as possible, and that being 'trolleyed / hammered / blitzed / slaughtered ... and all the other silly phrases they use, are not a badge of adult behaviour to be prized and boasted over.
But while the government derives such massive revenues from the alcohol taxes, they will do little or nothing to address these issues - moeny is far more important than health and well-being, hence the reluctance of any government to address the issues in any meaningful way, with a view to changing sociial attitudes to alcohol.