The government yesterday released a new campaign intended to tackle Britain’s burgeoning binge-drinking culture, as recent figures have revealed that nearly six million adults a week go on alcohol binges.

Called the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England, the report states that misuse of alcohol is costing Britain £20bn a year and leading to 600,000 violent crimes. Meanwhile, the drinks market in the UK is currently valued at around £30bn a year.

The alcohol strategy’s core measures will include: tackling alcohol-related disorder in town and city centres; improving treatment and support for people with alcohol problems; clamping down on irresponsible promotions in the drinks industry and providing better information to consumers about the dangers of alcohol misuse.

There will also be a new, cross-government approach adopted to specifically tackle the core points of the report, which will forge new partnerships with the health and police services alongside the drinks industry and local communities.

Other measures will include a greater use of exclusion orders to ban offenders from town centre bars, on-the-spot fines for landlords or bar staff who serve alcohol to drunks and under-18s and legislation that could make it possible to charge motorists at the roadside after a single positive breath test. Drinks manufacturers will also be encouraged to find alternatives to glass bottles, when they could be used as offensive weapons.

Speaking about the new strategy, Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said: “Increasingly, alcohol misuse by a small minority has caused problems: crime and anti-social behaviour in town and city centres and harm to health as a result of binge- and chronic drinking.”

He added: “This strategy aims to target alcohol-related harm and its causes without interfering with the pleasure enjoyed by the millions of people who drink responsibly. I strongly welcome it and the government has accepted all its conclusions.”

The report also proposed a new ‘Code of Conduct’ scheme for retailers, pubs and clubs. This would be a local-run operation between the drinks industry, police and licensing panels and led by the local authority.

These Strategy Unit schemes would adapt to changes in locally occurring issues such as under-age drinking, alcohol-related health problems and alcohol-related crime and disorder in town centres.

Minister for Crime Reduction, Hazel Blears, will be sponsor minister to these schemes. She said: “Our town and city centres should be safe places for everyone to enjoy a good night out and having a few drinks is part of this social scene. Our strategy will widen this approach so that people are more aware of the dangers of excessive drinking, that advertising doesn’t promote irresponsible drinking and that violent behaviour in our city centres is reduced.”

In response to the announcement of the strategy, the British Medical Association’s head of Science and Ethics, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, welcomed the new plans but warned that these must be followed up by action.

Dr Nathanson said: “It is very good news that the government is taking the issue of alcohol abuse seriously. What we need now is concrete action to tackle the crisis. The BMA would like to see clear warnings and labelling on alcohol products as well as a ban on alcohol advertising.”

She added: “It is a tragedy that doctors are starting to see serious liver disease in young people because of alcohol. It is also very expensive for the NHS. Alcohol is a poison – too much in one go can be lethal, too much week after week kills you more slowly.”

Stephen Thomas, the chief executive of Luminar which is the largest operator of late night venues in the UK, commented: “Late night licensing and the regulation of the High Street has become less rigorous in recent years, resulting in too many venues and consequently intense competition. Luminar has always operated and complied to the letter of the law and welcomes and fully supports all measures and initiatives which encourage sensible and safe drinking.” Details: www.strategy.gov.uk/files