Developing and delivering local level partnership schemes with the alcohol trade

Abstract

This analysis of local partnership projects involving the alcohol trade draws on the work of Michel Foucault to consider the extent to which these projects “responsibilise” the alcohol trade and contribute to a reduction of problems in the night time economy. The key aims of the research were: (1) to identify the multiple realities of the research subjects from their own perspectives, about what works in local alcohol-related partnership schemes, and (2) to identify the key drivers of change and understand the forces that influenced views of success or failure of local public sector/alcohol trade partnership schemes. Interviews (n = 28) were carried out in London boroughs (n = 8), over a two-year period between 2009 and 2011. Partners included police, licensing teams, local authority staff, pub, club and bar managers and a central government official. Post hoc “theories of change” diagrams illustrate the way interviewees thought their projects worked and made links between activities, assumptions and outcomes. In schemes thought of as successful there was a clear understanding of what interviewees thought made them work. The essential common factor was “engagement”. Partnership activities provided a vehicle through which partners could build trusting relationships. Efforts to promote engagement incorporated enforcement actions, positive publicity and generating a sense of competition. The priority of the trade to maximise profits was found to over-ride the impact of some projects.

• Alcohol
• binge drinking
• crime reduction
• drinking behaviour
• industry
• partnership
• policy
• research

Declaration of interest

No conflicts of interest to report.