Fears Buckfast-style drink could fuel more Edinburgh Bonfire Night mayhem

A SUPER-STRENGTH Buckie-style drink is being targeted at underage drinkers across the Capital, a city leader fears.

Yobs drove a car onto a bonfire in Craigentinny during trouble in 2017

Councillor Gavin Corbett spotted big cans of Dragon Soop - made with caffeine and twice as much alcohol as normal lager - on sale in Oxgangs off-licences.

The Green member was out on patrol with police ahead of half-term and Bonfire Night after widespread booze-related mayhem two years ago prompted no-go areas last October.

“I was dismayed to see how much Dragon Soop was on sale,” said Cllr Corbett, who represents the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward.

Super-strength Dragon Soop is on-sale across the Capital

“At 8% alcohol and high caffeine content, it is sold in big cans that are cynically designed to be attractive to teenagers.

“Clearly, someone is buying it but I’d really hope responsible retailers decide to take it and similar products off their shelves.”

Residents cowered in their homes as cars were torched and emergency workers attacked by up to 50 youths with fireworks and rocks in Restalrig and Craigentinny in 2017.

It prompted a crackdown from police last year, with exclusion zones enforced and potential troublemakers getting visits from officers.

There were widespread calls for banning fireworks while a Scottish government survey published yesterday found widespread support for tougher controls.

"It’s important that shops are doing their bit about safe access to fireworks"

Cllr Corbett said spot-checks on shopkeepers found little appetite for selling fireworks but concerns over alcohol sales.

He said: “We are getting close to bonfire season and it’s important that shops are doing their bit about safe access to fireworks.

“In particular we were looking for sales of both fireworks and alcohol which is not a good mix.

“Encouragingly, all of the local shops said they would not be selling fireworks this year, citing the strict regulations about display and storage as the main reason.

“However, on alcohol sales, the picture was more mixed. All of the shopkeepers showed good awareness of the law on sale to under-25s, but some had poor practice on showing prices, which runs counter to minimum pricing rules.”

She added: "These patrols will continue in the lead up to Bonfire Night and we continue to work closely with all our key partners involved in the Community Alcohol Partnership.”.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire-based makers of Dragon Soop, Corinthian Brands, said: “Corinthian Brands has no comment to make however we thank you for bringing this to our attention.”