The UK is considering a measure to end Last Call and allow round-the-clock drinking. As one might predict, this has met with some opposition. It also has unfortunately has to combat a report hyping an increase in alcohol-related deaths:

The figures, from the Office for National Statistics, showed a North-South differential: in Yorkshire and the Humber, alcohol-related deaths rose by 46.5 per cent, and in the North East the figure was 28.4 per cent; in the East of England, the rise was 12 per cent — and in London drinking-related deaths have fallen 4.2 per cent since 2000. Rates of alcoholrelated death per head of population also reflect a geographical divide. Rates are the highest in the North East and North West of England, and the lowest across the South.

Charities that are campaigning against the licensing changes said that they expected more alcohol-related health problems when the drinking laws are relaxed in November. Alcohol Concern said: “The increase in alcohol-related deaths is deeply worrying but not surprising. Alcohol consumption has been rising over the past fifty years, and currently around eight million people drink above safe levels each year.”

I can't say that I care too much either way since it's the UK. As far as doing such a thing in the US, I have a couple of observations:

1. There are a total of three nights in my life that I do not remember due to inebriation. The first was my first time to ever get plastered and I didn't really know my limitations. The other two times, however, were almost explicitly due to "racing the clock," by which I mean that after a certain period of time I would not be able to drink anymore The first time I was actually racing against Last Call. We got to the bar late and I was slamming shots of Gold Schlauger (14 shots in all). The other was at a convention. I didn't want to mooch booze at some of the parties that I intended to go to, so I downed well over ten fluid ounces of straight vodka. While I'm open to being proven otherwise, I'm not sure that ending Last Call will lead to more alcohol-related deaths.

2. On the other hand, standardization has its advantages, too. Particularly in US outside of New England. Police interested in patrolling the streets have a clear window to start picking up likely drunk drivers (an hour till and hour after Last Call). That would not be the case if we had round-the-clock drinking. On the other hand, a bar that doesn't close doesn't have to push drunk drivers out the door.

Cromulent Pete puts up his perspective and is a bit surprisingly more skeptical of the perpetual bar than I am. He points to the Bourbon Street, though in my mind that may be the same as Last Call: Bourbon Street attracts chaos not only because of its relative chaos, but also because of the relative restrictions of other places. If you could get drunk 24 hours everywhere, Bourbon Street may not be quite the hub anymore. Then again maybe I've read one too many libertarian tracts.