THERE'S no need to feel the worse for wear as you wake on New Year's Day.
A bit of forward planning and a visit to Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health shop in Bank Street, Rawtenstall, can spare you the throbbing head and sandpaper tongue which normally follow a New Year's Eve bash.
Julie and Christopher Law, who took over Britain's last temperance bar a year ago from John and Suzanne Spencer, will prepare a hangover cure which you can buy in advance -- so if you have one or two over the eight you can revive your flagging spirits with a herbal pick-me-up.
Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health stocks all manner of tonics, cough candies, non-alcoholic drinks and alternative medicines.
The recipes are secret and must remain so.
When the Spencers left they had to sign a declaration that they would never disclose or attempt to make any of the concoctions without the Laws' consent.
Julie, 37, who used to work for the National Health Service, had an interest in alternative medicines and as a result was very keen to take over the business when the Spencers revealed it was for sale.
The recipes for sweets and non-alcoholic drinks such as dandelion and burdock, sarsaparilla and black beer and raisin are virtually unchanged from the days when Irish immigrant Malachi Fitzpatrick first concocted them in 1890.
The temperance movement began in Preston in the 1800s to try and stem the problem of drunkenness when workers -- men and women -- piled out of the factories to spend their money on ale or gin.
Now customers who are more used to sugar-laden pop and mass-produced Mars Bars can enjoy old-fashioned sweets, herbal drinks and tonics -- and even try a cure for an annoying playground enemy.
Julie said: "We make all sorts of things, including head lice shampoos. "We use fresh herbal ingredients from local producers and we know that nothing has been tested on animals.
"Our suppliers are from within Lancashire, so we don't go 'out of town' for anything; we want to support the local economy."
Drinkers of the non-alcoholic cocktails can have a glass of whatever they fancy from the keg, or can take away a bottle of herbal drink in cordial form and add sugar and water at home.
Chris, 42, who has an engineering background, is a rugby player who turns out for Rossendale every Saturday.
Julie said: "He looks fantastic for his age, and somebody told me I only look as old as my oldest son, who is 20.
"I don't drink and if Chris has a drink it's Guinness -- he doesn't like anything that is chemical-based.
"Alcohol isn't a very big part of our lives. There's always something more important.
"We don't go out drinking -- we're always too tired when we get home!"
If you want to try the hangover cure, the shop will be open from 9am until 4pm on New Year's Eve, but will be closed on New Year's Day.
Normal opening hours are 9am until 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
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