BAR bosses slammed for selling a "lethal" drink so powerful boozers had to sign a disclaimer before they could buy it have taken it off the menu.

The Hell Shot, a mix of 89.9 per cent Hapsburg Absinthe and 88 per cent Balkan Vodka, has been scrapped by the Evil Eye Lounge, in Stonegate.

The move follows a storm of protest after the Evening Press revealed how the drink, described in the bar's own literature as a "lethal combination", was on sale at the trendy bar.

Measure for measure, the drink was 18 times stronger than a pint of premium lager and drinkers had to sign a waiver before they were allowed to consume it.

Now, following consultation with York licensing officers who were alerted to the drink by the Evening Press, Steve Atkinson, the licensee at the Evil Eye Lounge, said the bar had decided not to sell the drink any more.

He said that decision had been taken after the Evil Eye Lounge was "inundated" with customers trying to buy the drink over the weekend.

PC Dave Boag, York's licensing officer, said the drink had caused concern among city authorities.

We aired our concern to the licensee, particularly in the light of the new Licensing Act, that this drink didn't really help his case," he said.

"He has withdrawn the drink from sale. This drink caused a few people to raise their eyebrows. It was not giving out the right message. It is the power of the press that has helped to get this result."

The drink had been slammed by city chiefs and alcohol advice bodies who branded its sale "highly irresponsible".

Mr Atkinson said: "We didn't want to be inundated by the weekend, but we were - so we have taken it off the menu.

"It was just a gimmick but on Saturday, quite a lot of people were coming down wanting to try it. That was the reason why we didn't want to promote it. We have now stopped selling it."

Alison Tubbs, of York Alcohol Advisory Service, said the withdrawing of the drink from sale was "good news".

"Anything that encourages power drinking is not something that we would support," she said. "It is good to see that this drink has now been pulled."

Updated: 10:14 Wednesday, June 29, 2005