A voluntary ban on happy hours and cut-price pub and bar drinks promotions was given a cautious welcome in Kingston, amid fears it will have little effect.

All 32,000 pubs which make up the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), have signed up to the code.

Fullers, which owns the Cocoanut, Surbiton Flyer and Wych Elm in the borough, and Youngs, which owns the Bishop out of Residence and the Waggon and Horses, are among the brewers involved, along with the companies which produce 98 per cent of all alcoholic beverages in this country.

But Malcolm Grosvenor, of the Enough is Enough campaign, which battles against binge drinking in Kingston, said: "This is more than a drop in the ocean, but much more needs to be done. We are concerned about the sense we are getting that the council is likely to give many extended hours licenses."

The leader of the council Councillor Derek Osbourne warned: "This move to curb binge drinking is welcome, but with the Beer and Pub Association accounting for only 50 per cent of the pub industry, the rest of the sector will have to follow suit if we are to properly tackle irresponsible drinks promotion.

"Happy hours are only part of the problem. Before Labour brings in longer licensing hours we need to see far more action on their Alcohol Disorder Zone proposals, more alcohol awareness education and better alcohol unit labelling."

Kingston and Leatherhead spokesman for the Campaign for Real Ale Steve Allen said that even though Kingston is a different drinking environment to "places like Glasgow or parts of London" the code would benefit the town.

He said: "We have a positive attitude towards this; we think it is one of the steps that needs to be taken."

Director of communications for the British Beer and Pub Association Mark Hastings, said: "Offers like pay £10 on the door and all drinks are free, drinking games and schemes that encourage people to drink too much too quickly have no place in our sector."

However, some pub-goers fear the measures would have little effect.

James Ganlan, 27, of Surbiton, enjoying some early summer sunshine and a pint after work last week, said: "I don't think it's going to stop anyone drinking too much, it just means they can't drink quickly and it costs more. If all the pubs don't sign up, people will just go where the cheap drinks are."

A voluntary code of conduct introduced in Richmond last year, which all but one pub in the borough agreed to, has stopped all drinks promotions and happy hours.

The borough council says antisocial behaviour and violent crime in bars and clubs fell 35 per cent in less than a month after the code was signed.

Nationally, binge drinking is thought to cost more than £20billion a year in terms of lost productivity and health problems.

drankin@london.newsquest.co.uk