The British manufacturer of glasses for the drinks industry, Demaglass, is producing tougher glasses, especially beer glasses, following comments by Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, that he wished to t…
The British manufacturer of glasses for the drinks industry, Demaglass, is producing tougher glasses, especially beer glasses, following comments by Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, that he wished to take action to reduce the number of injuries caused by smashed glasses used in pub brawls. Jeremy Clarke, spokesman for Demaglass, said the new toughened glasses are between 10% and 15% more expensive to produce. The decision to introduce the toughened glasses follows 10 years of campaigning by Professor Jonathan Shepherd, of Cardiff Royal Infirmary. He began his crusade after being horrified by the number of badly wounded and scarred pub-goers brought into his hospital. Every year there are around 5,500 attacks in which glass is used as a weapon. Professor Shepherd found that 75% of such attacks were carried out with straight-sided pint glasses and 15% with bottles. The standard pint glass tends to break at the rim, leaving a jagged edge and a firm base, he said. Laboratory tests by the Cardiff team have shown that the toughened beer glasses are six times more difficult to break than the standard ones. Allan Charlesworth, the Association of Chief Police Officers spokesman on licensing issues, called for the new toughened glasses to be made compulsory, particularly in pubs and night-clubs which attract a high proportion of young people.