'Tea and classical music' approach to cut Brit drinkers' rowdy behaviour

London, Dec 5 : Late night drinkers in London will now be served tea and biscuits as part of a taxpayer-funded scheme to cut anti-social behaviour at the closing time of bars.

The pilot scheme is part of a 30,000 pounds package of measures, which has been designed to counter rowdy at a late night trouble spot in northwest London.

The bars will also play classical music after last orders in an attempt to soothe patrons before they leave the premises.

A spokesman for Brent council said that the "quirky" new approach had been shown to work in American towns.

"There is research that shows if you can calm people down before they leave the premises there is much less chance that they will fight in the streets," the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

"We are not certain it's going to work but it has been used in certain US cities and it has been reasonably effective," the spokesman added.

The council has also decided to increase police patrols and targeting shops selling booze to under-age drinkers.

Bars and pubs in the Neasden Circle area will fund the tea, coffee, biscuits and other snacks, which are intended to stagger the closing time surge for cabs home, but the council will contribute to extra staffing costs.

ANI