One on Every Corner report released
Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, said: “We welcome today’s report from Alcohol Concern.
“Importantly it links the availability of alcohol with consumption and a rise in problems for our children, families and communities.
“Alcohol’s wide spread availability, along with increase affordability and heavy promotion, has created an environment where consuming copious amounts of alcohol is viewed as normal and acceptable. This is particularly dangerous for children and young people – encouraging them to drink earlier and drink more, which puts them at risk and makes them vulnerable.
“In the North East we have the highest rate of alcohol related hospital admissions for under 18s in the country. It’s not surprising that we also have some of the highest off-license densities in England.
“Although more young people are choosing not to drink, there are still some that do and they are drinking too much. We need to support them and help them make the right choices – and increased availability is not helping the issue.
“Alcohol can be purchased around the clock, in supermarkets, corner shops, even petrol stations – there are currently over 5,800 licensed premises in the region. I’d question whether this is really in the interests of our children, families and communities.
“Government needs to do more to lower the impact that alcohol is having across the region. This means tackling availability, affordability and the heavy promotion of alcohol. It’s the families, particularly children, living in the North East who stand to lose out the most from a glut of licensed premises.”