THE Magnet Inn lived up to its name – by becoming a magnet for drunken violence.
Neighbours of the Wakefield pub complained of frequent punch-ups, noise and a stream of underage drinkers.
Now it faces being shut for Christmas and New Year after being slapped with a closure order by police. Its licence has been suspended and un
less an appeal by its landlady is successful the pub will close.
Action of this kind is what society has been crying out for. Swift and decisive, it tackles the problem of drunken violence at its source.
Those in the licensing trade should be left in no doubt that any pub that is even slightly culpable will face stiff penalties which could result in them being shut down.
Drink is a major contributor to the crime and disorder on our streets.
The move by MPs to put an end to happy hour drinks promotions is a good start, although calls to hike up the price of alcohol sold in supermarkets should be resisted.
The drink-fuelled thuggery of others is for the police, courts and licensing authorities to deal with.
Responsible drinkers who save a few pounds buying their booze with their weekly shop should not be punished for the appalling behaviour of others.
Greatest giftPROVIDING a child with a safe, loving home is arguably the greatest gift you can give.
National Adoption Week seeks to encourage more of us to come forward to be adoptive parents.
The Leeds adoption service is especially keen to find black and Asian people to give a loving home to children of black or Asian backgrounds, or of mixed ethnicity.
We can understand the reasoning of putting a black child with black couples but the important thing is that every child has a home.
The colour of a child's adoptive parents' skin should be a secondary consideration.
Children should be able to retain and develop their ethnic identity, but it must not stand in the way of them finding a family.
Similarly, whilst it is only right that potential adopters should be subject to stringent background checks, adopting a child should be made as easy as possible.
Adopters can be single, married, divorced, remarried, without children of their own, or already have a family. That message should be hammered home – then hopefully fewer children would be left without families of their own to love them.
An inspirationSUPERMUM Tracey Barraclough has had three gruelling operations in two years to stave off cancer.
But she won't let that stop her as she embarks on a new career as a bodybuilder. She was inspired by Jane Tomlinson and got to know the fundraiser through Race for Life. Like Jane, she's an inspirational example of just what can be achieved when the odds are stacked against you.
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