Home is where the party is as drinkers shun pubs

DRINKERS are abandoning pubs in favour of partying at home in greater numbers than ever before with drinks manufacturers predicting alcohol sales could drop by record levels over the next few months.

However, the Irish Brewers Association said the controversial smoking ban was only partly to blame for a sharp drop in sales in the first half of 2004.

Drinks giant Diageo yesterday reported a 1% decline in the overall market for alcoholic beverages with consumption of Guinness down 6% and sales of leading spirits such as Smirnoff and Bailey’s falling by 11%.