 DISORDERLY pubs should be forced to play "gentler" music before closing time to curb drunken violence, say Cheshire police. The force has demanded restrictions on "extremely loud music" that creates an "aggressive feel" within alcohol disorder zones (ADZs) to be set up in town and city centres. The Home Office plans to allow local authorities to slap a levy on pubs, clubs and off-licences within the zones to meet the costs of extra policing and cleaning up after revellers. But the Cheshire force, in its response to a government consultation, has urged ministers to go further to "drive at the heart of the binge drinking culture". Its additional regulations would include forcing drinkers to sit down and compelling pubs to sell soft drinks only within 30 minutes of closing time. But the most controversial proposal suggests copying "responsible licensees" who are "aware of the impact that music creates in these premises". The force's submission says: "The culture of extremely loud music for the entirety of the licensed hours also creates something of an aggressive feel at these premises. "Some licensees change their music and play gentler music more quietly towards the end of permitted hours, which has a calming effect." The response to the consultation was written by David Griffin, the force's Assistant Chief Constable (operations support). Mr Griffin accuses ministers of acting too late, arguing that Cheshire's "hotspots of alcohol-related disorder" are already well-known, particularly in Chester and Warrington. He adds: "The licensed industry has patently failed to clean up its act and, as we witness every weekend in our towns and cities, has created a culture of binge drinking. Licensed premises are designed and run to facilitate the maximum amount of drinking in the minimum amount of time, in an effort to maximise profits. "This quite simply has to stop." Within ADZs, a "yellow card" system would give disorderly pubs and off-licences eight weeks to clean up their act or face a bill for extra policing, street-cleaning and even hospital costs. A "three-strikes-and-you're-out" crackdown would ban anyone given three on-the-spot fines for drink-related offences from the pubs and clubs within the zone. In other submissions, Cheshire County Council backed plans for the police or licensing authority to have the power to close violent pubs, without the approval of a magistrate. And Warrington Borough Council warned of a "drawn-out process" if bans on problem drinkers were triggered only after three offences. The proposals, entitled Drinking Responsibly, form part of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which will be considered by a committee of MPs in October. No responses from either Merseyside Police or any local authority on Merseyside were included in the Home Office documents. But that won't help stop binge-drinking, say licensees LICENSEES in Chester say they support the police's effort to curb drink-related violence but say peaceful tunes might not stop the problems. Jez Horrill, of Telfords Warehouse, said though hell-raising songs are not usually the order of the day in his pub, he could not see regulars coming out to listen to Celine Dion. He said: "I can see the point in terms of noise pollution but not when you're talking about tackling binge drinking. "If it goes too far in that direction, you would end up with people holding their own house and rock parties at home and then you would have a noise issue." Neville Sidebottom, the licensee at Politic, a private members bar on Watergate Street, Chester, says police should tackle chains who target young people with bargain-priced alcopops. He said: "Loud banging beat music is not really my cup of tea but I don't think that it makes people aggressive. Not everybody wants easy listening music. "The problem with binge drinking is an inherent culture problem in this country. "I don't think the type of music we play makes any difference. "We need to look at the real cause of the issue; licensed premises with happy hours, selling cheap alcopops to young people." | 
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