The Public Health Scotland report also found that sales of ready-to-drink beverages such as Dragoon Soop – another beverage popular with young Scots – had increased since MUP came in. It is the second PHS report on the policy in a matter of days, after figures last week showed the cost of alcohol has increased by almost a fifth. However, sales of fortified wine increased 13.8 per cent, ready-to-drink beverages saw a 3.6 per cent surge and wine sales have increased by 1.8 per cent. MUP was linked to a 5.5 per cent fall in off-sales of spirits and a 1.6 per cent reduction in off-sales of beer in the three years since 2019. The notorious drink's popularity remains as strong as ever in Scotland and Northern Ireland with everything from Easter eggs and sausages to steak pie and sweets being made using it. Picture: TSPL A planning application submitted to Dartmoor National Park reveals their intention to build a new winery. A statement issued by the company said that the "expansion will serve anticipated demand and foreseeable growth of the business".

At the time, when asked whether the figures meant that the fortified wine could be said to be associated with violence, Strathclyde Police superintendent Bob Hamilton said: "I think it's clear from the figures that there is an association there." A new report into minimum unit pricing (MUP) found there has been a 3.6 per cent fall in the amount of alcohol sold through off-licences and supermarkets since the controversial policy was introduced. Figures were based on the total volume of pure alcohol sold, both through pubs and in off licences. There has been a net reduction of three per cent, driven entirely by the off-trade. Read More Related ArticlesThe report states: "We found no evidence to suggest that MUP caused any changes in per-adult sales of alcohol through the on-trade. It was originally sold from the Abbey itself in the early 1900s with the slogan, "Three small glasses a day, for good health and lively blood". By the time that slogan was ditched, the drink had made its way to Scotland, where it was being drunk in much more copious quantities. Using imported mistellas from Spain, the monks would then add their own ingredients to create the tonic version of the wine. It is a well-established fact that a substantial amount of offences are committed by persons under the influence of alcohol, whether that be in houses or on the street," said Chief Superintendent Nelson Telfer, police commander for Lanarkshire. "My officers are tasked on a daily basis with targeting the most violent offenders and problem locations."

Maree Todd, the SNP's public health minister, said: "Minimum unit pricing is achieving what it set out to do - a reduction in sales overall with a focus on the cheap high-strength alcohol, which is often drunk by people drinking at harmful levels." She offered a succinct view on why it is so popular among youngsters in her area: "They like it because it gives them a hit." Unlike many stronger drinks, it is relatively palatable. Made from red grapes and enormous amounts of caffeine, the monks say it has "a smooth, rounded taste". More delicate palates compare it to boiled-down sweets. Lucie Giles, Public Health Intelligence Principal at PHS, added: "We can conclude that, across Scotland as a whole, MUP has been effective in reducing alcohol consumption in the first three years of implementation."Instead our total effort in Scotland has gone into supporting police and community groups in combating alcohol abuse, including advising independent retailers on the social dangers of price-cutting and under-age sales." Modern popularity The overall reduction was driven by reduced per-adult sales of cider, perry, spirits and beer through the off-trade, although this was partially offset by increased off-trade sales of fortified wine and, to a lesser extent, wine." I grew up in one of those houses on one of those streets – not even the worst house, not even the worst street. n 1927, the Abbey lost its licence to sell wine so the Abbot allowed wine merchants to distribute on behalf of the Abbey. The recipe was also changed from a patent medicine to a medicated wine. So far, so good…