First Fab, now Broad Street bores are breathalysing you on the door

Going out this weekend? Don’t expect to have too much fun as joyless bouncers will be breathalysing you on the door.

Over 40 bars, pubs and clubs will be bringing in the initiative, and if you’re twice the drink drive limit you can be refused entry.

It is an attempt to crackdown on what the police are adorably calling “pre-loading”, which apparently increases crime and violence.

Clubs on Broad Street, Hurst Street and in Digbeth are implementing the controversial move after it was introduced in Fab earlier this year.

If you want to get smashed, you’re going to have to pay club prices for it.

Is predrinking a thing of the past?

Adam, a third year Business Management student who’s celebrating his 21st birthday this weekend, is unimpressed.

He said: “My initial reaction is just to avoid the clubs that are bringing it in, but that’s easier said than done.

“It’s virtually impossible not to get smashed at predrinks. It’s an important part of the night and just buying drinks at bars is out of the question for student budgets.

“It’ll be all about the house parties from now on.”

If the scheme is successful, it’ll be launched elsewhere in the UK.

Sergeant Dave Francis from Central Birmingham Police said: “In recent years we’ve seen an explosion in preloading culture, people coming into the city already drunk and even getting out of taxis holding bottles of wine and vodka and downing them before going into clubs.

“Obviously when people are heavily drunk they are a danger to themselves and more likely to get caught up in rows or fights.

“The breathalysed-on-entry scheme is designed to reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder in our nightlife centres.

“A similar project was trialled in Norfolk last year and was found to reduce the number of disorders at venues by around a third.”

Have a wonderful sober weekend.