Yet again Wirral gets highlighted for its alcohol problems.

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Number crunching doesn't tell all. Birkenhead has become a dumping ground, six or more YMCA,s have closed locally and the renamed Wirral YMCA has become the hub for "Wirral and beyond" (their words not mine. They talk about growing the business and having a corporate brand, so there must be money to be made at the expense of Wirral's good name.

Maybe because everywhere we look there's an off licence.

Saying that the in thing when I was a kid was hanging around Wallasey village with 4 cans and a bottle of old heritage cider.
They were the days.

...and when it says
" The review shows huge variations between the most deprived and wealthiest areas - admissions for booze-related illnesses are 55% higher in the most deprived."

That must go towards the statistics showing that those with the least income, spend it on the wrong things. So when it is deduced that people spend their benefits on the wrong things , there must be a high degree of truth in it.

Even so, I still can't believe that Wirral is fourth worst in the country and if it truly is, then rather than Phil Davies's wish that 'bells should be ringing', I would have thought it more like thunder and lightning strikes !

I'm sure many of us did that at one time, the difference is that we weren't doing it to the extent that we ended up in hospital - or worse still destroying our kidneys by the age of 25.

The other thing was most were doing it without their parents knowing, there are many parents these days who actively encourage their kids to get paralytic and seem to think its a good thing???

I don't think the number of off-licences makes much difference to the problem unless they are really drastically cut. The government need to tax alcohol more to reduce the problem, price it out. If it becomes only the rich that can afford to destroy their own health then so be it.

Agree with granny - if deprived are finding money to drink, then they are bringing on their own depravity.

Personally I find supermarkets far cheaper than off licences. Can't think when I last bought booze from one.

I quite agree, Granny, but how long before the thought police tell us that we mustn't judge them?

Latest thing is that anybody that goes to a foodbank are getting £49 towards their fuel costs for a fortnight - I'm sure this will free up some "spends" for some to waste on their stable diet of alcohol.

SOURCE

That being part of the problem too. £98 per fortnight for energy is outrageous. Those Utility bills are the things that should be getting tackled for everyone, which would see fewer people needing food banks, fewer people running up debts, fewer people terrified for not being able to pay, thus leading to depression. All these things affect more than just those in the poorest areas, and the resulting ill health from such , must be costing the country an arm and a leg.

Sorry, mistake. It's £98 per month....even so, same sentiments as before as that I assume, will be for one persons accommodation.

I'm finding this all so depressing I'm going out to get pished and forget about it.

quite right Bandy.if you have worked all your life and have the money to spend on what you want,Including booze, Go ahead enjoy have some fun.

And I did.. the only thing is I nearly forgot my last bus home at the same time. That was a close call. Feel much better this a.m. I think I'll try it again later in the week.

Three Wirral towns listed in the top ten most desirable places to live in England click here but then it's 4th for drinking somethings don't add up

It seems pretty clear to me... Wirral has some of the nicest areas in the country but unfortunately it also has some of the most disgusting and depressing areas.

Wasn't it also once home to the worst estate in the country?

It's weird how you can stand in front of a £3m house, drive for 15 mins and be subjected to some of the worst poverty in the country.

That is what is so unique about Wirral. Probably no other place like it in the UK. Being a peninsular, with so many different places for different reasons and all accessible within about 10/15 mins of each other. Nowhere else like it. Brilliant. Just shows how we can all live in one little cul de sac together.

We might be the worst for alcohol, but London beats us hands down for cocaine....so far !
http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2015/06/05/london-is-the-cocaine-capital-of-europe-again/

The uk has just as i repeat often become like the usa . Polarised communities in look and wealth
All towns have same shops type of houses business places etc
Its all the same..
The tills are ringing in the bright shining consumer led centre . 3 miles away theres drugs poverty squalor
Its generic...
Theres an opposite in all uk cities.
From gated communities to drug dealing flats etc its the same.
From shopping malls to gucci...