But the two-week price slash being promoted by the pub group has worried local alcohol awareness campaigners at a time when the country's seasonal drinking culture has been described as a "national sport" by justice secretary Kenny MacAskill.

Caithness Drug and Alcohol Forum's vice-chairman, Councillor Graeme Smith, said the Wetherspoon sale was another indication of society's "reckless approach" to alcohol and was sending out the wrong message to the community.

However, the pub operators defended the nationwide promotion, which began yesterday, stressing that it included a number of alcohol-free drinks.

Mr Smith, who represents the Wick ward on the Highland Council, said the widespread problem of alcohol misuse had to be resolved but added that he did not want to single out the town's Alexander Bain pub for criticism.

He said: "Alcohol is the socially acceptable drug of choice in Scotland today. It is being abused more and more. As each generation goes on, the price of alcohol gets relatively cheaper and the consumption increases.

"The sale itself is just another indication of society's reckless approach to alcohol abuse."

The Liberal Democrat councillor, who admits to having overindulged in the past, fears there is a growing trend to tolerate excessive drinking and he warned about the long-term health implications.

He said: "I find the relaxed attitude to the ill-considered consumption of alcohol in Caithness to be at least as bad as anywhere else in Scotland. Nobody sees the long-term health impacts until it's too late. Society has to take a long, hard look at itself."

Mr MacAskill had earlier appealed for moderation in the run-up to Hogmanay, pointing out that Scotland had a "huge cultural problem" with alcohol which became more apparent over the New Year period.

The cabinet secretary stressed the Scottish Government's commitment to tackling the problem and warned about the consequences of alcohol misuse for the country's health service and criminal justice system.

He has already announced plans to ban three-for-the-price-of-two booze promotions in supermarkets and is keen to introduce a "polluter pays" tax on pubs and off-licences to help deal with the social costs of alcohol abuse.

Mr MacAskill said: "Scotland has a huge cultural problem with alcohol, and it's never more evident than around Christmas and New Year when getting drunk can feel – and look – like the national sport.

"It's impossible to walk down the street at night without seeing people who've simply had too much to drink."

The minister, who was arrested before an England v Scotland football match in 1999 on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, insisted that the Government did not intend to promote prohibitionism.

"We're not saying don't have a drink," he said. "But when nearly half of those accused of murder were drunk when they committed their offence, when one Scot dies every six hours from alcohol abuse, when alcohol is costing our economy tens of millions of pounds, it's time to say enough is enough."

J.D. Wetherspoon spokesperson Eddie Gershon maintained there was no connection between the price of alcohol and issues of binge-drinking if pub operators were being responsible.

He said: "If you run a good pub then people are not going to be served if they are drinking stupidly."

Watford-based Mr Gershon pointed out that the restaurant and pub chain had won a number of awards for promoting responsible drinking.

e.mackay@nosn.co.uk

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