Liverpool brewery joins seasonal drink drive campaign

The Robert Cain brewery has joined Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Travel Inn, Merseyside Police, drink and drug agencies, the NHS and providers of ‘alternative’ forms of transport in the city’s biggest ever seasonal drink/drug drive campaign.

In what is thought to be a first for the UK brewing industry, Robert Cain has included an anti-drink drive message on its Liverpool 2008 celebration beer bottles. The brewer’s 10 pubs are also using specially designed beer mats carrying contact details for alternative forms of transport including late buses, trains and taxis.

"Whether they like it or not Britain’s breweries have a responsibility to promote responsible drinking," says Robert Cain’s joint managing director Sudarghara Dusanj. "We wants people to enjoy our beers - but not at the experience of someone else’s safety.

"Every year we hear horrible stories about tragedies at Christmas caused by people who still can’t understand that drinking and driving don’t mix. The message has to be: enjoy a beer - especially a pint of Cain’s -but leave the car at home."

Councillor Peter Millea, executive member for regeneration said: "We believe this is the first time that a brewery and a local authority have joined forces to combat drink driving. We are delighted that Robert Cain is demonstrating a great sense of social responsibility by taking an active part in this campaign.

"It is a novel approach to have the don’t drink and drive message on beer bottles and beer mats. We try and use as many ways as possible to get over this vital message to as wider audience as possible - and when is more appropriate to remind people than when they are having a drink?"

The campaign highlights the fact that increasing numbers of pedestrians, particularly young women, are getting killed and injured due to excessive alcohol consumption. It features ‘mixed-up messages’ for posters and hand-held banners highlighting drink, drugs and pedestrian safety.

The slogans are:

Dn’ot Dinrk Divre
Durg Dirnivg Kllis
Dnurk Pesdteirans Can Cusae Aiccnedts
Durnk lsat nhight bihend diffiernet bras this mnornig

Over 1,700 posters carrying the messages were carried on the Arriva bus fleet and in doctors, dentists and chemists as well as various sites all over the city. There were also banners over the Mersey Tunnels and at various other high profile sites.

For further information contact RSO Martin McIntyre, martin.mcintyre@liverpool.gov.uk