Within hours of the announcement that Dave Roberts was to head a new industry-backed initiative to counter the claims of the anti-alcohol lobby, he had already stirred controversy. Not because of anything he’d done or said, but because he shares a rather common name with the chief executive of Alcohol Research UK. Certain people were quick to get on the phone to ARUK,…

Retailers could be entitled to compensation from councils that illegally enforce bans on certain products following a landmark case where loss of earnings put a store on the brink of closure. Legal advisers acting for Shabir Mohammed, owner of Lifestyle Express in Newcastle, said he planned to pursue the local authority after he lost £280,000 when he was banned from selling beers and ciders above…

A group representing more than 300 MPs and 75 peers has demanded legal clarity from the Office of Fair Trading over controversial Reducing the Strength schemes, in response to OLN’s United to Protect Choice campaign. The influential All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group has added its weight to our initiative and chairman Andrew Griffiths, MP for Burton, has written to OFT chief executive Vivienne Dews amid fears…