THE 'cynical' drinks industry has been blasted by the north west director of public health over applications by pubs and bars to extend their opening hours.
"The drinks industry is behaving like the tobacco industry did 30 years ago, by feigning social responsibility while shamefully exploiting the liberalisation of licensing laws to boost sales," said Professor John Ashton.
"Far from seeing a spreading out of drinking times, the drinks industry is colluding to use the new freedoms to move pub closing times one or two hours later into the night."
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