There's more trouble ahead for the pub trade, with enforcement activity on the up and, of course, further legislation in the offing.
Still, legislation takes a while to push through Parliament - even the flagship Policing and Crime Bill - so the Home Office has a bit of free-time on its hands.
So in a move about as welcome as a warm lager, officials have been running a series of free roadshows for council licensing officers to encourage more enforcement activity against pubs.
Councils themselves are particularly keen on enforcement activity, as due to the tough environment for pubs, variations and applications for new licences have tailed off and there's a revenue shortfall for many.
Still, you'd hope the police would rise above all this populist nonsense and apply some commonsense to the issue of problem drinking, taking a lead were politicians will not. Well, in a word, no.
