IN a free society, we ought to be able to drink alcohol when we like, and pubs and clubs ought to be able to open and close when they like.

It is a liberal culture that exists and thrives across most of Europe, where violence and loutish behaviour caused by excessive drinking are relatively rare.

In proposing to reform our rather antiquated laws, the Government is putting much of the blame for binge-drinking and alcohol-fuelled thuggery on the fact we have a closing time.

The theory is that by having staggered closing times, thereby removing the temptation to binge, there will be less excessive drinking and less violence.

Theories, however, do not always work in practice. It is a romantic notion that just because we adopt continental drinking laws we will automatically adopt continental drinking habits.

The behaviour of young British people in Mediterranean resorts is not a good advert for the Government's proposals.

Binge-drinking has created no-go areas in many of our town and city centres at weekends.

For all those who say the reforms will ease problems, there are those who say they will worsen them.

Binge drinking is deeply-rooted in the culture of many people. Tinkering with opening hours will not transform that culture or behaviour.

It is imperative that any reform reflects the reality of what is happening, rather than some fanciful notion of what the Government would like the situation to be.