No drink zones are soon to be rolled out across Reading in a move that will see drinkers heavily penalised if they want to drink outside their homes. The local Labour Party has been petitioning for the last two years to restrict alcohol consumption in the town and has welcomed Government plans to tackle the issue.

Mike Orton, the lead councillor for health, told us: "It's been quite difficult to find enough fact based evidence to bring in a town wide ban, but we are pleased as punch that Alistair Darling has neatly side stepped the real concerns of providing enough police resources to keep on top of anti-social behaviour and has instead acted to ensure that record numbers of pubs and clubs in Reading are forced to close by taxing the poor and putting up the price of booze."