From Lose–Lose to Win–Win: Community interventions in the suburban night time economy

Abstract

Alcohol misuse is coming up the policy agenda in England–with revisions in 2007 to the national Alcohol Strategy and the inclusion of alcohol-related health and crime reduction targets in statutory Local Area Agreements. However, community engagement in the development and implementation of such strategies remains marginal. This article reviews the learning from the Aquarius Route 50 Project in Birmingham, part of the Alcohol Education and Research Council funded UK Community Alcohol Prevention Programme. The applicability of the Holder ‘multi-component’ model of early intervention is considered in the context of suburban night time economies and ‘travel to drink’ cultures. Broader themes are also developed in terms of the connections between local action projects and broader strategic policy and planning systems.