Plans to replace the traditional pint glass with one made of shatter-proof plastic will not be accepted by drinkers, the pub industry has warned. The Home Office has commissioned a new design, in an attempt to stop glasses being used as weapons.
Official figures show 5,500 people are attacked with glasses and bottles every year in England and Wales. The British Beer and Pub Association said it did not want the new plastic glasses to be made compulsory. Neil Williams from the association said he was concerned that drinkers would notice a drop in quality. “For the drinker, the pint glass feels better, it has a nice weight and the drink coats the glass nicely. That’s why people go out for a drink, to have a nice experience.”
He said there was a danger that pubs with no record of trouble would be penalised.
He said: “I would ask, is it necessary to replace the much-loved pint glass for safety reasons in the vast majority of pubs where there is no problem? “Pubs shouldn’t be put under pressure to stop using glasses if they are safe places to drink. Why on earth ask them to do that?
“They shouldn’t be corralled into using plastic glasses. Anything that would move us towards a plastic product would not be welcomed.” Nick Verebelyi, the designer in charge of delivering the new pint, said they were looking at two approaches.
“One is to coat the glass with a substance that will make sure the glass doesn’t shatter into pieces when it is broken – that could be a plastic material for example. “But it would have to feel like an existing pint glass to the consumer.”
This is heresy!!! There must be a special Ministry in Britain that is assigned to make this crap up.
I hate it when the English say ‘Cheers’ all the time.
It make me feel like smashing a real glass to smithereens.
#30. Keith, for what it’s worth, I agree 100%. Actually, I prefer my beer at room temp.
As mentioned, plastic is not new in situations where glass is dangerous – nightclubs, concerts, sports events and so on. I live in Ireland, and it’s the same as the UK in that regard.
I’m in the USA (Houston) at the moment, and it’s the same. I went to a Houston Astros (baseball) game last weekend, and beer was served in plastic glasses or aluminum bottles.
PS: as for you Americans who complain about your own beer, here’s a hint: drink local brews. I looked up Houston beer before I arrived, and found two names: Shiner and Saint Arnold. Both are available in local supermarkets, and both are very good. You have brewers who are sick of American beer being a joke, and are doing something about it, so they deserve your support.
My GOD how are they able to maintain this level of sustained insanity?! If be one thing if there were reports like this once or twice a year. Stupid slip ups like that are normal but the UK is producing these BI weekly.
#22 – Guinness is to stout what Miller is to a pale lager. Both are very poor examples of the style.
#33
I’m going to guess you didn’t get either at the Astros game. Yes, American craft brewers are quite good; some of the best in the world actually. Sadly, most Americans think lagers are the only type of beer and that Bud/Coors/Miller qualify as beer.
#35
I say that Guinness is more of an average example of a stout and admittedly not the best. That said, Guinness is to Miller like Petrus is to box wine.
//I hate it when the English say ‘Cheers’ all the time.
//It make me feel like smashing a real glass to smithereens
Aah, well it’s obvious the new plastic glass legislation is directed at you. We all have our idiosyncrasies so
Cheers and Tally Ho old bean – just off to repair the thatching on the roof and give the butler a good dressing down – core blimey god bless ya guvnor 🙂
Seriously, no offense taken even if it was intended, love a good frack
CHEERS Keith
This is the sort of thing that they Gov’t will propose but it’ll never fly in the long term. We get a lot of crap like this over here and sure, some of it sticks but this is one of those things that won’t. As an idea for concerts and nightclubs where it’s likely people will drop/throw them – seems fair, we get that already but in your average pub it just won’t happen.
// #30. Keith, for what it’s worth, I agree 100%. Actually, I prefer my beer at room temp.
Larger always from the fridge but good beer definitely not too cold. apart from anything else you might drink it too quick and wake up worse for wear. If in the UK look for real ale pubs – CAMERA – campaign for real ale – a lot of anoraks some would say but they do have a lot of real traditional beers that don’t all taste the same.
Dare I say Cheers ?? Keith
It won’t happen, the idiots that use glasses as a weapon have already moved onto knives.
Better solution would be to exterminate them.
Why not? You’ve already set a precedent – six times.
🙂
No offense meant. I have a very dark sense of humor not everyone appreciates.
#36
Most Americans recognize that Bud, Coors, papst blue ribbon, ect are just watered down beer so bad they don’t deserve the title. Saying that American beer is beer is kinda like saying hot dogs are made of meat. It’s half true.
I suppose ink pens and pencils are going to be outlawed next.
Imagine if it were the USA. They’d outlaw toy glasses and kids would be suspended from school for drawing pictures of glasses.
Cost: benefit, please.
Is this covered under the carbon caps?
If bars are such dangerous places, shouldn’t Britain just outlaw them?
The day I drink beer from anything but glass, Satan will be skating to work.
And this is why since leaving the British Army over Six years ago, I optioned to remain in Germany, where I don’t have to put up with this sort of crap. And having to be PC about everything. It Also bears thinking I haven’t lived in the UK since 1997, just before those Idiots got into Power.
While I agree that drinking beer from plastic just isn’t right, “glassing” is a big problem in Australia too – it’s not people throwing the glasses, rather it’s the smashed half-a-glass or bottle end being used as a knife, usually slammed into someone’s face.
Happens in Aussie pubs and nightclubs fairly regularly, often to innocent bystanders in the wrong place at the wrong time, and creates massive damage to someone’s face, often it ruins their lives, or they’re up for months of reconstructive surgery.
Most nightclubs have switched to plastic anyway but it’s still happening.
I see both the sides of argument, there’s fair bit of justification either ways. I guess personally I feel there’s no fixed solution for this. While plastic glasses can prevent harming of people, they, on the other side are not environment friendly. On the other hand glass are (kind-of) environment friendly but are not good for humans as they are being used as weapons. The big question now is, whom would you save? The environment or people? It is debatable.