Off-licence owners ‘passing the buck’

OFF-LICENCE owners should be forced to restrict the sale of certain types of drink to combat excessive drinking by young people, a parents’ group said yesterday.

The National Parents Council accused owners of off-licence outlets of “passing the buck” by placing the responsibility for sensible drinking on parents.

John Shiel, of the National Off-Licence Association, told his organisation’s annual conference the best place for a young person to start drinking was in the home.