by holdthefrontpage staff
The Bristol Evening Post is calling on all bars and clubs in the city to use safer glasses and plastic bottles after a young woman lost an eye when she had a wine glass smashed in her face.
The paper is backing the Drink Safe campaign started by Louise McClintock's father John, in a bid to make it compulsory for venues to use toughened glasses. They are designed to shatter into fragments instead of more dangerous shards.
Louise was one of more than 200 people who are brought to Bristol's main hospital every month having suffered glass injuries – many of which are alcohol related.
Post editor Mike Lowe said: "The problems that broken glasses and bottles cause in our city centres are clear to anybody who spends time in bars, either working in them or visiting them.
"The tragic result of these incidents is forever going to haunt Louise McClintock, whose ambition to be a model was dashed in a second in the attack that has scarred her for life.
"The Evening Post is happy to support an initiative that makes our clubs and pubs safer places for people to spend their leisure time in.
"We should not wait for another case like Louise's to be in the news before something is done.
"We believe there should be action now."
John McClintock said: "I want to see bars and clubs taking a responsible attitude and I believe they should take this weapon out of the hands of their customers.
"It has to be all glasses. What happened to Louise was as a result of an incident with a wine glass. The stumbling block is going to be getting the bars to stock plastic bottles, which is where there has to be legislation."
Louise said: "Something has got to be done to take away or minimise the dangers. The last few weeks have been a real struggle, and I hope we can use this campaign to make things safer."
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