Campaigners for compulsory health in Great Britain are pressing for new laws that could largely spell an end to old-fashioned roving ice-cream vans (which in that country, rather charmingly, are said to play “Greensleeves” or “O Sole Mio” as their jingles). (Rajeev Syal and David Sanderson, “Why ice-cream vans face total meltdown”, The Times (UK), May 8)(via A&LDaily).
Nor are grown-ups to be trusted with their own dietary choices any more than kids, at least not in Scotland:
Bar owners have warned they could be forced to stop serving chips and traditional pub meals under proposals by the Scottish Executive.
Under regulations being considered by the Executive, landlords – many of whom are still unhappy at the smoking ban – would be required to have policies to promote “sensible eating” as a condition of their licenses.
(Russell Jackson, “Publicans fear Executive wants ‘unhealthy’ bar meals banned”, The Scotsman, May 5)(via Stuttaford)(& welcome Andrew Sullivan, Stephen Bainbridge readers). Our UK page is here, and our page on food and beverage nannyism, regulation and litigation is here.
5 Comments
Why not just close the pubs altogether and make us all eat salad.
They’r working on it, Joe – give them time! Remember, this is the government weee’re talking about: they move slowly.
What, no more Mister Whippy????
OVERCOOKED BRUSSELS SPROUTS FOR THE MASSES!
The reason initially given for the ban of ice cream trucks was that it was a danger for children to be roaming the streets where they might be hit by cars. I know I’m buying that argument. And Dublin actually banned Happy Hour (after a heavy shove by the brewers) with the logic that this would curb drinking…by pensioners…at 3 in the afternoon.