‘Right to move with the times on holiday drinking’

At present, drinking on those days is limited to between 11am and 2.30pm and 7pm and 10pm.

If the States approves the plans, Christmas Day drinking will be from 11am-12.45am and Good Friday from noon to 1.45am.

Zoe Brehaut said she had been out for lunch on Christmas Day and had experienced first-hand having alcohol removed from the table at 2.30.

‘I don’t think it will be a problem,’ she said. ‘I think it will encourage more people to go out for their lunch and will benefit restaurants.’

Pat Moss said the law as it stands was ‘silly’, although she wondered if perhaps the hours could be extended but not for so long. ‘Perhaps they could stop serving drink at five,’ she said.

Mrs Moss does not drink, but said she had been out with people who had been obliged to stop at 2.30 on Christmas Day. ‘On those holidays it takes a lot longer [in restaurants] because they’re fully booked.’

But she thought it was time the change was made. ‘We’re a little bit behind the times here on many things,’ she said.

Emidio Pereira, manager of Cabriz restaurant, said that he always opened on Christmas Day and the new law would make things a lot easier. ‘I think it will be good to open for a few hours – not until midnight,’ he said. ‘It will be easier for us because we will have more time to serve.’

He thought it likely that he would open until 5pm on Christmas Day. He would not open in the evening, although he would on Good Friday.

Full story in today's Guernsey Press