Sales of alcohol in Carlisle have surged in the months following new legislation on minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland. Our readers had their say on the News & Star website and Facebook page.

They are asking that the prices are levelled up in England to make it fair. Does that mean we will get free prescriptions and free university fees to level up with Scotland? On a brighter note come to Carlisle and buy cheap booze. You can also give your unruly kids a clip round the ear at the same time.

William Holden

I certainly can confirm that a lot of people from Langholm do this but most people from Langholm do the weekly big shop in Carlisle anyway. So makes perfect sense to buy a bottle or two of wine on the trip.

Alec Maxwell

I was talking to a corner shop owner from Paisley in Asda Carlisle. He had a big van and was filling it with alcohol. Said its a £1,500 saving every two weeks on cash and carry up his way. As he says four-hour trip and £30 diesel. For that kind of saving. SNP haven’t a clue.

Alec Maxwell

Asda and Morrisons are always full of Scots filling up their trolleys on a Friday.

Lee Kelton

The Scottish government were patting themselves on the back last week about reducing alcohol consumption by 8%. I’m guessing the increase in sales here is oh, I don’t know, about 8%.

Laird Dunc Souter

Never heard of anyone doing a booze run to Carlisle. Haven’t really noticed a difference in the price.

John Gray

Yep, I’m a truck driver living in Fife, Scotland. Every other Thursday / Friday I’ll pop by Carlisle Asda and fill up with cheap booze for friends and myself. The SNP alcohol tax is a sham!

Chris Spring

A few years back it was trips to France to stock up... now it’s trips to Carlisle.

Andy Nelson

Alcohol related deaths have fallen by 5% in Scotland since this new tax was introduced. Wales set to follow suit then maybe the penny will drop in England.

Alec Wilson

Why exactly should England have to raise its alcohol prices to assist Scottish drunkenness?

Steve Bradshaw

Could not agree more, banging the price up does not solve the problem.

Bazzer1947

Minimum pricing will have zero effect on alcohol abuse. But it’s a convenient, reactionary and overly simplistic, way of packaging a social issue into an easily palatable soundbite. Without examining the real social issues that underlay the problem, 50p on a bottle of Mad Dog will not fix the issue.

M0sstr00per

“As a result of research”, anyone with half a brain could tell you alcohol sales would surge in Carlisle area when the prices were increased in Scotland.

How about levelling the playing field by reducing the prices in Scotland, back to where they were, another excuse for the Scottish government to waste even more taxpayers funds on further research!

John Thomas

Well, I’d imagine Scottish businesses have taken a hit in profit because of this. Scottish government has shot their own economy in the foot.

CumbrianCaveman

Although I don’t disagree with MUP for alcohol I find it ironic to say that a level playing field should be created when in England we have to pay more for heathcare than in Scotland. We pay for prescriptions and we also pay for social care, if a level playing field is the way forward then it should be across the board for everything.

Billie J

This is a fudge, so the SNP can claim a fall in sales in Scotland, so the policy has been a roaring success,nothing but political posturing. From Carlisle’s stand, nothing could be better. The only problem is, it is the same supermarkets, so the SNP has added to global warming as more cars travel south to buy their liquor and weekly shop. Maybe they should commission junior schools to think their policies up in future. Scotland needs to address the very serious drug addiction they have, and stop playing around.

fivebaryat

Pretty resounding responses on here. Agree entirely. Not a big drinker myself these days but I wouldn’t be happy having to pay more money because of Scottish legislation. Just another example of the juxtaposition between England and Scotland.

Rusty James