Gazza also used to play for the Italian team Lazio. The Gazzetta pointed to a succession of players who had had a drink problem, including Jimmy Greaves, George Best, Tony Adams and Paul Merson."Getting completely sozzled, night after night, is in the culture," the paper said "Paul Gascoigne is a victim of that 'drink culture'. But in England and other northern European countries, for different 'cultural' reasons, the habit of raising your right arm too often is not seen as something so unseemly."In fact, getting drunk is even seen as a synonym for entertainment ... The RSC is determined its very best work should be seen by the nation as a whole ... I'm very aware that the purpose of subsidy is to produce work .. for people who wouldn't otherwise see it.". THE CULTURE of heavy drinking in English football is to blame for the present plight of its star in both fields, Paul Gascoigne, according to an Italian sports newspaper.

The Gazzetta dello Sport, one of the country's leading sports newspapers, made the observation after discussion in Italy of the former England midfielder's treatment for alcoholism. It needs to satisfy the audience that already exists and has not been satisfied for the last 30 years."ADRIAN NOBLE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, RSC"Gerry Robinson is absolutely right to demand the twin peaks of excellence and access - except that many companies are already committed to vigorously pursuing these aims. They ply their trade to a minute audience who happen to be their chums .. The Arts Council doesn't need to find new audiences. "The Royal Opera House will not only have to demonstrate its willingness to widen access through cheaper ticket-prices and to develop significantly its educational programmes if we are to carry through its rescue plan and consider awarding any extra grant; it will also have to demonstrate that it is soundly managed."BRIAN SEWELLART CRITIC"It would be thoroughly commendable if the Arts Council aimed for a white, middle-class audience but it does nothing of the kind. But, he said, these will be required to meet priorities of excellence, education and access."In the new era for the arts, there will be no blank cheques," Mr Robinson said. Saying that large amounts of the pounds 400m funding of the arts will be delegated to regional bodies, he added that the new Arts Council will continue to fund directly the seven "national companies".

Really, we should have more confidence in our arts and our artists than that."Mr Robinson gave a warning to the crisis-ridden Royal Opera House. I would turn the question round: why should the young and long-term unemployed only look to, say, clerical or construction work as their routes out of benefit? Why not look to work in creative industries?"Saying that the arts could and should be "a regional economic motor", he added: "Naturally, there may be some fears among artists and arts companies that to take a broader view of the arts within society and the economy is to threaten the spirit of innovation and experiment, perhaps even the genius that is the true creative force behind challenging work."Some have seen the appointment of a businessman to the chairmanship of the Arts Council as a threat to the very life-blood of the arts. Mr Robinson asked Miss MacGregor if she was appalled."No," she replied. "I wish all audiences were like that."Mr Robinson divulged that the Arts Council was drawing up plans for the arts to play a meaningful role in taking young and long term unemployed people off benefit as part of the government's New Deal programme.He said: "Now perhaps some people might suggest that the Arts Council - or the arts - has no part in helping this government, or any government, with its New Deal. Ian McKellen's example in quitting London for Leeds may be a strong sign that this is an attitude that just won't do any longer."If we believe that experience of the arts can inspire, can lift the spirit, surely it is nothing less than our duty to go out and spread what can be a life-transforming experience."He mentioned as an example how one of his new Arts Council members, the young concert pianist Joanna MacGregor, played John Cage pieces to an audience "unused to the genteel disciplines of the concert hall".The audience clapped between movements They cheered and they shouted.

He said the council was putting pounds 5m into pilot schemes to find new audiences, and referred in his lecture to Sir Ian McKellen's recent remarks about there being no black faces in the audience at the National Theatre.Mr Robinson said: "Too often in the past, the arts have taken a patronising attitude to audiences. Too often artists and performers have continued to ply their trade to the same white, middle class audiences. In the back of their minds lurks the vague hope that one day enlightenment might descend semi-miraculously upon the rest, that the masses might one day get wise to their brilliance. In his first major speech since becoming Arts Council chairman earlier this year, Mr Robinson, who is also chairman of Granada, said: "There will be no blank cheques. In the new era, no one should kid themselves that the Arts Council will be a soft touch." Delivering the Arts Council annual lecture in London, Mr Robinson did indeed give a lecture to the arts to pull up their collective socks.

All six were remanded on bail by Bow Street magistrates.In Merseyside, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Doyle, 48, a former number two in the area's drugs squad, was remanded on bail when he appeared before Liverpool magistrates facing corruption charges.. BRITAIN'S arts companies were accused last night by the chairman of the Arts Council, Gerry Robinson, of "plying their trade to the same, white, middle-class audiences". The five, together with another man, faced allegations of conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to receive stolen cash and to pervert the course of justice. More than 40 officers have been suspended.In a separate case, four serving officers and one former detective from Scotland Yard's Flying Squad faced charges yesterday relating to the theft of the proceeds of an armed robbery. The Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner, John Stevens, said after the case: "Corruption will not be tolerated within the Metropolitan Police Service and this case demonstrates the MPS's commitment to target former officers who engage in similar activities as well as any corruption within the force itself."The current corruption inquiry is the largest in London since the 1970s. Both will be sentenced later.Mr Green, who served between 1988 and 1993, had suffered from stress and trauma after witnessing a colleague being shot during an operation, the court heard. At the Old Bailey last month, Garner admitted another 12 charges and McGuinness admitted seven including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, planting a gun on an armed robbery suspect, handling stolen goods and conspiring to steal cash.