I've long been convinced it was intentional. Too many public sector jobs revolve around the chaos and resulting mess of chucking out time.

Mustapha Jihad could just as well be talking about the situation down here in Oz.

Creating 3am lockouts in certain states has caused massive problems and increased violence. Rather than repeal them, the pollies solution is to make the lockouts 2am instead.

I'm sure the extra security guards needed at the taxi ranks counts as job creation by the government.

I think the motivation is more than simply jobs. Enough violence and criminal damage and people will start wanting more police officers on the street. When they get those officers and find they're not that interested in violence or criminal damage it will be too late.

Mustapha Jihad could just as well be talking about the situation down here in Oz.

You're absolutely right, darkbhudda. I was back home in Oz late last year and was shocked by how bad this has become, even in my small hometown of 100,000. Getting a taxi after a night on the sauce is a nightmare.

Strangely enough I asked a policeman friend of mine whether the situation had improved after the licensing laws were changed to allow flexible opening.

He said it appeared to make no difference at all.

Patrick: but is flexible opening really happening, and if it is, is it really flexible? I suspect that in many cases bars in an area are all forced to close at 1am instead of 11.30 which doesn't really solve the problem.

I've been in bars in Europe where they stay open as long as there are willing customers and staff. I don't think that sort of arrangement is possible in the UK.