BARS and clubs in York are to be banned from staging “irresponsible” drinks promotions in an attempt to cut down in booze-fuelled violence.

Offers providing revellers with the chance to drink as much as they can for £10, speed-drinking contests and “dentist chair” escapades – where alcohol is poured directly into people’s mouths – will all be outlawed from Tuesday under new powers made available to the city’s licensing chiefs.

The anti-bingeing measures will also mean free tap water must be provided to customers who ask for it, with City of York Council writing to York’s 585 pubs and clubs warning them of the changes to national codes and practices – and how they will be enforced.

Meanwhile, the city’s residents are being asked for their views on plans to change the laws surrounding the expansion of such premises in the city centre as the council considers altering the area of York covered by the Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ).

The boundaries of this zone are agreed with North Yorkshire Police and include restrictions on new pubs and clubs opening or expanding to cut alcohol-related crime and antisocial behaviour. Speaking about the new alcohol-promotion laws, the council’s licensing manager John Lacy said: “These mandatory codes are a necessary step to tackling alcohol abuse, cutting crime and health problems caused by alcohol.

“That said, the majority of pubs and clubs in this city are both professionally and responsibly run and have never had to resort to these tactics to sell alcohol.”

He said the laws had won support from members of the public concerned about binge-drinking.

The CIZ’s existing remit includes Blossom Street, Micklegate, Rougier Street and Clifford Street, with the zone being created in 2005.

But under the proposals, Tower Gardens and the stretch of Blossom Street leading to Micklegate Bar would be deleted from the zone and Davygate and the section of Coney Street to Museum Street would be added due to the increasing numbers of licensed premises in these parts of the city centre.

More information is available at www.york.gov.uk/business/Licences_and_street_trading/entertainment/alcohol/ciz. Views should be sent to senior licensing officer Lesley Cooke at 9 St Leonard’s Place, York, YO1 7ET or licensing@york.gov.uk by May 28.