THE report into York's growing addiction to the bottle is shocking, depressing and unfortunately mistimed.

Had these findings been available earlier, they would have informed the local debate over extended pub opening hours. As it is, the study arrives just too late to influence many decisions to allow York pubs and clubs to open later.

Nevertheless, the survey makes sobering reading. One in every four York residents drinks too much, and 6,600 are drinking their way to serious health problems.

The Anglo Saxons have always had a taste for drinking lots and drinking quickly. Even today, the French knock back more than we do, yet their more measured approach avoids violence and vomit, twin trademarks of a British night out.

Worryingly, our binges are getting worse. Alcohol consumption has risen by 12 per cent under Tony Blair. Pub measures of spirits and wine are bigger, lagers are stronger and worst of all are the alcopops, hard liquor sweetened for the teenage palate. One drink can now account for two or three units.

We must wait and see whether later pub licences make the problem worse, as has happened in Australia, Iceland and Ireland. Meanwhile, the local alcohol strategy which evolves from today's report should help to curb York's worst excesses.

But this is a national disease, and the Government is too far under the influence of the drinks industry to realise how bad it has become.

Updated: 09:50 Friday, September 02, 2005