Bacardi in deal to sponsor free travel over Millennium
Millennium revellers and barstaff are to get a free ride home — thanks to a joint initiative between Bacardi Breezer and London Transport.
The brand is sponsoring all New Year's Eve London buses and Tube trains from 11.45pm until 4.30am in zones 1-6.
Bus companies and London Underground are joining forces with the brand to publicise the free transport.
The announcement, which came last week, could help barstaff who may be reluctant to work because of a fear of being unable to get home.
London Transport (LT) director of transport strategy Richard Smith said: "This New Year's Eve will be special because many people may have drunk more alcohol than they usually do. There will be free travel from 11.45pm on December 31 until 9am on January 1.
"There will be Tubes, trains and buses for anyone who has to work."
Breezer's own advertising will appear on Tube platforms and buses plus extensive smaller spaces near Underground station entrances and escalators and bus shelters.
LT has printed three million brochures and 300,000 bus leaflets. Breezer has a further presence within these.
Smith warned that many central London Underground stations would be closed.
Breezer was unable to reveal how much the initiative would cost, but brand spokesmen said the scale of the service would mean an investment of millions of pounds.
Normal services will finish between 9pm and 10pm on New Year's Eve, when a special service will begin until the small hours. Tubes will run every three minutes on all lines.
Police have welcomed the project, as they are keen to see as many people as possible leave Central London by the early hours.
All police leave has been cancelled as there are fears of public disorder.
The Metropolitan Police Millennium Unit has said policing the event will be among its biggest ever operations.
London's pubs have all been asked tp provide details of their plans for the night.
Police are concerned that all-inclusive ticket parties could cause drunkenness.
The move could surprise observers who underestimate the presence of spirit mixer brands. Bacardi Breezer sells a million bottles a day and is worth £345million.
Meanwhile, the national pessimism surrounding the millennium appears to be lifting.
At high street venue Barnaby's in Burton-on-Trent, 200 tickets have been sold in the last two weeks.
Manager Paul Lanchester said: "After a slow start there is a lot of interest now in what's happening on New Year's Eve and people are starting to confirm arrangements for the night."
