Alcohol Licensing Laws in Italy
Over the last year i have noticed that new licensing laws have come into effect in at least two regions (Lombardia and Emilia Romagna and I'm pretty sure its a national thing.
Pubs, Bars, and nightclubs can longer sell alcohol after 2am.
So i know this is a good thing in the sense of reducing the amount of drink driving that goes on in Italy but is this the answer to the problem?
A friend of mine runs a pub. (Italian) Before customers were allowed to drink outside the pub without problems. Now it seems that pubs will be fined if customers are caught taken drinks outside of the pub. (Bologna - unless they have a special license)
I can understand why not allowing glass bottles etc but not even in a plastic glasses are allowed anymore.
So this fine when its winter and cold but what happens in the summer?
The bars that have their little garden (tables and chairs) in the street i guess will not be affected but for those who don't pay or have the opportunity to pay the extraordinary fee that the comune asks for the license will become less busy.
I am all for control of alcohol related problems but i moved to Italy because it had more of an outside lifestyle but that now seems to be slowly disappearing.
Italy has a very tough drink driving laws and only allow 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per milliliter of blood compared to another European country which i would consider to be more realistic (UK 0.8)
How do you know how much your drinking?
It is fine if you buy a bottle of beer as the alcohol content is displayed on the bottle but most Italians i know drink cocktails and how strong that is depends on the person making it!!!!! There are no measurements just a guess from the eye!
What are your views and do you feel this is the correct way forward?
Over the last year i have noticed that new licensing laws have come into effect in at least two regions (Lombardia and Emilia Romagna and I'm pretty sure its a national thing.
Pubs, Bars, and nightclubs can longer sell alcohol after 2am.
So i know this is a good thing in the sense of reducing the amount of drink driving that goes on in Italy but is this the answer to the problem?
A friend of mine runs a pub. (Italian) Before customers were allowed to drink outside the pub without problems. Now it seems that pubs will be fined if customers are caught taken drinks outside of the pub. (Bologna - unless they have a special license)
I can understand why not allowing glass bottles etc but not even in a plastic glasses are allowed anymore.
So this fine when its winter and cold but what happens in the summer?
The bars that have their little garden (tables and chairs) in the street i guess will not be affected but for those who don't pay or have the opportunity to pay the extraordinary fee that the comune asks for the license will become less busy.
I am all for control of alcohol related problems but i moved to Italy because it had more of an outside lifestyle but that now seems to be slowly disappearing.
Italy has a very tough drink driving laws and only allow 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per milliliter of blood compared to another European country which i would consider to be more realistic (UK 0.8)
How do you know how much your drinking?
It is fine if you buy a bottle of beer as the alcohol content is displayed on the bottle but most Italians i know drink cocktails and how strong that is depends on the person making it!!!!! There are no measurements just a guess from the eye!
What are your views and do you feel this is the correct way forward?
