Plastic pints to reduce pub violence

Last updated at 10:26 18 January 2005


Pint glasses are to be replaced with plastic containers in some of Britain's most violent pubs, it has been revealed.

New licensing laws and fears about alcohol-fuelled brawls have prompted one of the country's biggest brewers to become the first to offer safety glassware.

Coors Brewers, which produces top-selling Carling and Grolsch lagers, said the new style "plastic glass" containers are unbreakable, meaning they cannot be smashed and used as deadly weapons.

Senior police chiefs have welcomed the innovation, but said that more must also be done to tackle the cause of drink-related violence.

'Risks of violence'

A Coors spokeswoman said the company has made the plastic glasses available to more than 45,000 outlets which sell its brands following changes to licensing laws.

"Local authorities now have the power to stop publicans serving drinks in glasses on a venue by venue basis, if they feel there are risks of violence," she said.

"There can also be restrictions on city centre or outdoor venues using glass, meaning more pubs are likely to need an alternative."

The toughened plastic pint pots are reusable and cost roughly the same price as a traditional glass.

Coors said manufacturers have used a "nucleation" technique, laser-etching the bottom of the container, to ensure carbonation takes place and each drink forms a creamy head.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said: "We welcome anything that helps make pubs safer places to drink, but would stress that we believe more must be done to tackle the causes of violence."

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