Back ‘booze tank’ scheme - City Hall calls for central government funding for partygoers bus

Published: 28 January 2011
by JOSH LOEB

CITY Hall is calling for central government funding for its “booze tank” scheme, which was piloted over Christmas and New Year and provided revelers with somewhere to sober up.

Instead of being taken to hospital, drunken partygoers were taken to a “booze bus”, where they were allowed to stay until they had recovered. 

Hundreds of hospital beds were freed up in this way, and now the council wants to repeat the scheme during future busy periods. 

Westminster Council’s cabinet member for society, families and adult services, Cllr Daniel Astaire, said: “It is just wrong that hospital beds are taken up by people who are there solely because they have become so intoxicated they require medical attention. 

“In providing this facility in no way are we condoning drinking to excess but we want to free up space in accident and emergency units for those who genuinely need them.”