Deaths from alcohol in 2020 were up almost 19% compared with the previous year, according to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In total, 8,974 deaths resulting from alcohol misuse were recorded in the UK in 2020. This is the largest single-year increase since the ONS started collecting this data in 2001. As in previous years, there were … [Read more...] about Biggest increase in alcohol-related deaths for 20 years
alcohol
T2 Trainspotting: back to what future?
The problems with sequels are well trodden; and for a sequel to a film like Trainspotting, they are magnified tenfold.Trainspotting defined an era. A fin de siècle of those that could be summarised down to a 12-song playlist, with some level of accuracy. Of a century at large that was marked with identifiable trends and movements split into convenient, decade-long chunks. … [Read more...] about T2 Trainspotting: back to what future?
Hogmanay hype on drunk women
When the English artist William Hogarth produced his infamous engravings of prosperous “Beer Street” and chaotic “Gin Lane” in the mid-18th century, it reflected efforts to control London’s supposed gin crisis. Gin consumption had risen from very little at the beginning of the century to 19m gallons per year by the 1750s, and many people had become alarmed.One of the most … [Read more...] about Hogmanay hype on drunk women
Disused churches: the decline of public spaces
Since long before the oil price drop, Union Street in Aberdeen has seen better days. It looks tired and run down. The shops fronts not boarded up are either betting shops, American candy stores or one of a score of express supermarkets.It is even less inspiring on a Friday night, although some respect is gained for the Samaritans who sacrifice their evenings to hand out … [Read more...] about Disused churches: the decline of public spaces
Sober thoughts on sectarianism
Many years ago I once thought it smart to take a couple of jellies (legal heroin) and go for a walk through Govanhill one easy Sunday morning. My mission: take advantage of the new licensing laws which meant I did not have to wait until midday to legally purchase alcohol. Armed with a few loose cigarettes, a can of Stella and an increasingly lower centre of gravity, I set … [Read more...] about Sober thoughts on sectarianism