THE Tour de France has been and gone: but it has left in its wake a sense that York has somehow become more of a continental European city than ever.

It would be nice if we could adopt a more continental approach to drinking.

The French seem to have it down to a fine art. They see nothing wrong with enjoying a glass of wine with a meal, or savouring a lager in a bar or street café.

But they do that without feeling the need to get out of their heads on booze just for the hell of it.

Of course, not everyone in Britain does that. But there are a small minority of British people whose relationship with alcohol is utterly dysfunctional: who can’t have a good night out without becoming drunk to the point of insensibility.

New figures from Public Health England suggest that if anything, York has higher rates of binge drinkers than the English average.

Problem drinking costs the city more than £77 million a year, the report estimates – as well as leading to alcohol-related violence and antisocial behaviour.

The city council and police are doing what they can. York’s city centre alcohol restriction zone has been extended, and the police’s annual summer campaign to crack down on alcohol-fuelled behaviour is under way.

But at the end of the day, it is up to us to take responsibility for our own behaviour.

Binge drinking is hugely damaging to our health, and can make our behaviour - towards loved ones, friends and complete strangers - unpleasant and sometimes downright dangerous.

So by all means, go ahead and enjoy an evening in the pub with friends. But why drink yourself under the table? Isn’t it possible to have a good time without that?