Scores of off-licences and supermarkets could spring up on the English side of the border with Scotland if the Scottish Executive forces through "ludicrous" proposals to ban alcohol promotions, Majestic Wine Warehouses chief executive Tim How warned this week.

How was speaking at the Marketing Society's retail conference on Tuesday as he prepared to join representatives from the off-trade lobbying the Scottish Executive against proposals to ban alcohol promotions on Thursday.

As The Grocer went to press, justice secretary, Kenny McAskill, who outlined the proposals last month in Edinburgh, was meeting a delegation formed of How, Wine and Spirit Trade Association boss Jeremy Beadles and senior figures from the big supermarkets.

"I sincerely hope the Scottish Executive will see sense," said How. "I think it is one of the most ludicrous suggestions they have ever had. We will lobby against these proposals, not least because we run UK businesses and have to have consistent operations."

How admitted that the full ramifications of the ban would not be clear until the Scottish Executive published detailed proposals in the coming month. But he said the changes were unfair on the Scottish consumer.

"We know it is important to deal with the issue of responsible drinking, but this is fundamentally the wrong way of resolving the issue," he said. "Why should Scottish consumers have to pay more than their English counterparts?

"We will have to set up stores all along the border if this comes into force."

Under the measures, shops would also be required to have separate alcohol display areas.

There was already provision within the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to ban irresponsible promotions on alcohol in clubs and bars, said a spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive, and the justice minister was determined to bring in a similar ban for the off-trade.

"Mr MacAskill's view is that we cannot sit back and do nothing," she said. "Scotland has a cultural problem with alcohol and we need to tackle that."

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