While the law was originally drafted over 150 years ago, it has never been fully repealed, meaning it still grants authorities the power to take action against those who overindulge.
Don’t get too drunk(Image: Getty Images)
British pub-goers are being warned that their next round of drinks could lead to more than just a hangover. Despite the Great British pub being the traditional home of social drinking, an archaic law means that being drunk on licensed premises is actually a criminal offence that carries a financial penalty.
While most people head to their local to enjoy a pint or two, few realise they are technically required to stay sober enough to remain on the right side of the law.
The warning stems from the Licensing Act 1872, a piece of Victorian-era legislation that remains on the statute books today. According to Section 12 of the Act, “every person found drunk on any licensed premises” is liable to a penalty.
While the law was originally drafted over 150 years ago, it has never been fully repealed, meaning it still grants authorities the power to take action against those who overindulge.
Legal experts at InjuryLawyers4U have highlighted this little-known regulation to remind the public of their responsibilities when visiting the pub.
“As unusual as it sounds, under the Licensing Act 1872, it is in fact illegal to be drunk in a pub and anyone who is found drunk in a licensed premises can be fined,” a spokesperson for the firm explained.
“This law was introduced to curb public disorder and excessive alcohol consumption. And while it’s rarely enforced today, police still have the power to remove drunk and disorderly patrons from pubs.”
Under the strict letter of the law, anyone found drunk in a public place – including a pub – can be fined. In the Victorian era, the fine was set at “not exceeding ten shillings,” but in modern terms, this has been updated to a level one fine on the standard scale, which can reach up to £200.
Furthermore, the Act makes it an offence for publicans to permit drunkenness on their premises or to sell alcohol to an already intoxicated person.
In the modern day, police and bar staff typically only intervene if a patron becomes “drunk and disorderly.” However, the existence of the 1872 Act provides the legal framework for authorities to act even if a person is simply heavily intoxicated without being aggressive.
The warning serves as a timely reminder for Brits to know their limits; while the chances of being fined for having one too many are slim, the law remains a powerful tool for police to maintain order in the nation’s town centres and local watering holes.
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