I imagined them to be like smaller versions of A&E but away from other sick patients, medical staff available and supervision for the possible dangers, too dangerous and a possibly liability nightmare otherwise with the threat of litigation.
They have done similar things previously round here, think they had one last Christmas for people also with "festive drinking" type of injuries like cuts, falls and other minor injuries too to keep them away from A&E but there was provision to send them to A&E if they needed it. I think they did it around Mad Friday.
I find it's the bars with the stupidly cheap drinks offers and who do things like jugs of cocktails and shots. One of the formerly bad parts of town seems to have gone a lot quieter (I imagine anyway, not been out in town for a long while) as a load of these kinds of bars on the same road shut down.
I don't get the drinking yourself into oblivion thing and not being able to get yourself home safely. It's just irresponsible and dangerous. A drunk tank could, if done right, be far safer than a night in the gutter or slumped in an alleyway somewhere, especially with all kinds of dodgy people around who could take advantage. A fine may make them think more carefully if common sense doesn't.