Madam, - The attempt to curb excessive drinking and late-night street violence by reducing the hours of licensed premises will never work and in some instances will exacerbate the problem.
The main contributor to alcohol-related disturbances (besides excessive alcohol) is the restrictive laws that make pubs empty out on to the streets at roughly the same time. We should adopt a continental approach, by which landlords could apply for a licence to open during a specific period designed to cater for their clientele and situation.
This would be granted and policed by the relevant local authority subject to its suitability within the locale. - Yours, etc,
KEITH NOLAN, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.