Newcastle to become first English city to introduce 50p ‘booze tax’

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Newcastle could become the first English city to introduce a 50p ‘booze tax’ in a bid to reduce alcohol-related problems.

The policy will mean that all pubs, clubs and shops will have to charge a minimum of 50p per unit of alcohol.

As such, a three-litre bottle of cider, which has 22.5 units, would increase from £3.60 to £11.

If the plans go ahead, Newcastle would be the first place in England to bring in a minimum pricing unit structure.

“Where premises are found to be selling alcohol below this price and there are problems, the committee may decide to impose a condition in relation to pricing of alcohol,” Newcastle city council's report said.

The move comes after police and NHS have complained that resources are being stretched by binge-drinking culture.

While a recent report from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), said that increasing the price of alcohol could boost tax revenue, which could then be spent in the health system.

Last year, Scotland announced that it would become the first country in the world to introduce a minimum price for alcohol sales in a bid to curb harmful drinking of cheap, super-strong alcohol.

The plan, which will be introduced by the Scottish government on 1 May 2018, will see the price of the cheapest bottle of red wine (9.4 units of alcohol) increase to £4.69, while a four-pack of 500ml cans of four per cent lager (eight units) would cost at least £4.

“We applaud our colleagues in Newcastle,” Colin Shevils, director of alcohol support charity Balance told The Sun.

“However, the most effective way to cut problems would be for the Government to follow the example of Scotland and introduce MUP across the whole country.”