Alcohol Policy UK

Alcohol in the news 13.4.07: Man U fans asked to curb drinking in Milan; Swindon dispersal order

• UEFA has asked Manchester United to warn travelling supporters to cut down on their drinking ahead of the Champions League semi-final trip to face AC Milan next month.  UEFA spokesman William Gaillard said "If everyone behaves in a proper way, we should have a smooth sailing but Manchester United has to brief its fans and tell them what is appropriate. There has been a problem with drink and it would be nice if the supporters were advised not to do it. I realise this is a difficult thing but people are putting themselves at risk because they stop behaving in a rational way. UEFA are still investigating what happened in Rome, so we have to be careful, but there is shared responsibility for most situations, even if there is not equal responsibility." The Scotsman

• Swindon: Police say a dispersal order covering the town centre has helped prevent hundreds of people getting into serious trouble. The order, which has been renewed for a further six months this week, gives police the power to tell groups of two or more people causing problems to go home. Anyone who ignores the order can be arrested. Town centre beat manager Andy Alexander says the order has been a massive boost to officers policing the area on weekends. Another dispersal order, which covers the bus station and is aimed at the homeless drunks who gather there, has also just been renewed for a further six months.

Cheri Wright, the council's antisocial behaviour coordinator, said: "The dispersal order in the town centre is a pivotal part of the way in which the night time economy is policed in the town centre as police can proactively tackle some of the groups congregating before problems ensue. "The order at the bus station targets some of the problems with street drinkers and this gives the police the ability to move them on and deal with them effectively."  Swindon Advertiser

tackling street drinking - alcoholpolicy.net and LDAN workshop 15th May

alcoholpolicy.net and LDAN alcohol strategy action planning workshops
workshop 2: tackling street drinking – DPPOs, wet centres and other likely stories Tuesday 15th May, 2 to 4.30pm, London E2

The workshop will explore current problems and solutions associated with street drinking, including sessions on:

• street drinking in London today: population profiles, policy context, implications for ASB and treatment
• evidence for what works
• overview of current solutions in London – has anyone cracked it?
• key players to engage
• action planning

Speakers will share experiences of DPPOs, dispersal orders, outreach, treatment, ASBOs, environmental schemes and other initiatives.  This workshop is the second in a series of six practical workshops to bring you up to speed with the latest stuff, and help you make progress on alcohol.

aim: to drive local action on alcohol through practical guidance target audience: local alcohol champions (we mean anyone who wants to get things moving on alcohol)

why attend: these workshops will change your (working) life.  Action on alcohol has been bogged down in talking endlessly about all too familiar problems, and waiting for funding.  There is important work we can be doing now, with existing resources.  Come and get started.

about us: alcoholpolicy.net is behind the website and podcast for the alcohol harm reduction field.  We are an informal network of consultants, researchers and practitioners, keen to share our learning and ideas. Our motto: nonus reinventare wheela.  LDAN is the London Drug and Alcohol Network – developing substance misuse policy and supporting the capital’s treatment sector

other info: the workshops are free.  Materials and audio from the workshops will also be freely available on www.alcoholpolicy.net

to book contact Jim Bishop  020 7704 0004

Drink driving in Dumfries & Galloway; new powers to seize sealed alcohol containers in Southampton

• Dumfries and Galloway Police have hit out at motorists over their "disregard" for the dangers of drink-driving. After its festive campaign, the force warned that it would continue to target the issue. A spokesman said the warning had fallen on "deaf ears" as 30 people were caught drinking and driving in January - up from 21 in the same month a year ago. Sgt Scott McLachlan urged motorists to "wake up" and recognise their responsibility to drive safely. He said it was disappointing to see drivers ignoring police advice. BBC News

• Police and council patrols in Southampton have been given extra powers to seize alcohol from street drinkers.  They will have discretion to confiscate both open and sealed drinks.  Police will be able to arrest those who refuse to hand over alcohol, while council and community support officers can request personal details.

The city council's licensing panel has agreed to extend a 2004 order which covers open drinks in the city centre's streets and parks.  Police and council officers already have powers to seize alcohol from under-age drinkers under separate legislation.  However, youths will no longer be able to hand sealed drinks to those older than 18 to avoid them being seized. It takes effect from May. 

A council survey found it had the backing of an overwhelming majority of clubs, pubs, hotels and other off-licences. Only the city mosque responded from 22 faith groups quizzed.  Southampton City Council antisocial behaviour manager, Derek Stevens, said the extension had been a success in other authorities such as Brighton, Westminster and Portsmouth.  This is Hampshire

Alcohol in the news 4/12/06

• York: An alcohol-free zone is set to be created in Copmanthorpe to curb boozing youths and antisocial behaviour.  City of York Council is proposing to introduce alcohol exclusion zones in the village and also a part of York city centre, near the Minster.  The council is looking to make the parish of Copmanthorpe and the Boer War Memorial Gardens, off Duncombe Place, areas where drinking alcohol is forbidden.  In both cases, the council is responding to feedback from members of the public who have experienced or witnessed alcohol-related nuisance, annoyance or disorder in these areas.  York Press

• An online debate has been launched to give people the chance to air their views on binge drinking. The East Midlands Alcohol Network – a coalition of health authorities, councils and voluntary groups – has set up The Drink Debate to find potential solutions to alcohol-related harm.  Stamford Today

• Bolton: Police have unveiled their latest weapon in the fight against anti-social behaviour . . . lollipops.  Officers hope that handing out lollies to late-night drinkers in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year will have crime licked and will curb drunken clashes at closing time.  Police and nightclub doorman will hand out more than 30,000 lollipops. It is hoped the idea will help police and security staff form a positive relationship with partygoers, pacify drunken behaviour and stop rowdiness.  This is Lancashire

• A draft Government Order outlining proposals to shake-up Northern Ireland's licensing hours, including extending pub opening until 2am, have been published for public comment.  Social Development minister David Hanson released the draft Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) (NI) Order 2007 - which will introduce stronger enforcement powers for the police, and a one-hour extension of opening hours.  Announcing details of the Order - drafted following earlier public consultation - he said: "The proposed Order will give police the power to temporarily close disorderly premises, and the courts power to impose penalty points for offences.  "Later opening to 2am will be available to licensed premises entitled under existing law to open to 1am and to registered clubs.  "However, I have decided there will be no change generally to Sunday opening, nor will there be any change to opening hours for off-licensed premises."  Belfast Telegraph;  Details of the Order

• Scotland: The north-east's largest alcohol support group was launched on Friday by Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald.  Albyn House Association and Alcohol Advisory and Counselling Services are specialist charities and have now merged to form Alcohol Support Ltd.  The new group provides confidential support to children and adults who are experiencing problems as a result of alcohol abuse.   It also offers counselling in schools and health centres.  BBC News

• The massive impact of alcohol on crime in Tayside has been outlined by a senior police chief.  Assistant Chief Constable Ian MacLeod stated alcohol is a factor in the vast majority of domestic crimes and plays a huge part in anti-social behaviour and assaults.  He told delegates at the Turning the Corner on Alcohol? conference at Perth Concert Hall that court cases and custodies cost the criminal justice system £276 million a year, part of a “staggering” £1.1 billion hit to the Scottish economy from alcohol misuse.  Evening Telegraph

• Many young Scots regularly wake up unable to remember how much they drank the night before, a survey has claimed.  The Scottish Executive poll of 1,000 Scots found 55% of 18 to 24-year-olds fell into this category compared with 27% of all adults questioned.  Almost a third of the respondents said they have chosen to drink when they did not want to rather than decline.  BBC News

News for 29/8/06

• Edinburgh: Street drinkers driven away from the Royal Mile have moved on to Princes Street Gardens where they have been blamed for creating a "nightmare".  Groups of up to 20 men and women have been congregating in the east side of the gardens, and drinking, fighting and harassing passers-by, throughout the day. A police crackdown during the Festival is believed to have temporarily pushed the drunks to the Meadows, but traders said today they feared they would return when it finishes next week.  Police are employing a little-used bylaw, controlling drinking in the city's parks, in an effort to clampdown on the problem.  The trouble has erupted since antisocial behaviour powers were used to disperse groups of drinkers gathering in Hunter Square.  The Scotsman

• Preston: More than 50 cans and bottles of alcohol have been seized from underage drinkers in a fortnight. The seized alcohol was taken from teens in renowned trouble-spots across South Ribble, including Dandy Brook Park in Lostock Hall, Cockshot Woods, Severn Drive and School Lane in Bamber Bridge.  The names of 25 youngsters were noted as part of a county-wide summer holiday clampdown called Operation Summer Nights, which finishes at the end of this month. In the operation officers use South Ribble Council's CCTV van and beat bobbies patrol anti-social behaviour hotspots.  Preston Today

• Hartlepool is the first town in the UK to specially protect and educate drug and alcohol users through a special pilot scheme.  Cleveland Fire Brigade has launched the home safety initiative for drug and alcohol addicts.  It follows the identification of this group as being more "vulnerable" than others, due to their addictions. In a bid to help them fully prepare for the eventuality of a blaze in their home, the brigade has teamed up with Safer Hartlepool Partnership, which provided funding for the scheme. Hartlepool woman Lindsay Galbraith, 25, is the brigade's drug and alcohol advocate, whose job is to raise fire safety awareness for this specialist group.  She will be referred to certain individuals from a number of sources including GPs, hospitals, police, probation and drug outreach workers.  Hartlepool Today

Southwark alcohol control area to go ahead: consultation published

Southwark council is to go ahead with a near borough-wide DPPO (designated public places order) or 'alcohol control area'.  (The wards not covered are in Dulwich: East Dulwich, College and Village).

Southwark Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) was instructed to commence a consultation as per statutory requirements in Febuary. According to legislation no order can be made until at least 28 days after publication of the notice, which meets minimal compliance. The DAAT felt it was necessary to go beyond this and conduct an in-depth review of the current alcohol issues across the borough. The Notice invited representations to the Council within 64 days.

Download the report of the consultation and recommendations here. 
More detailed findings from the consultation here.

For more information on:

• putting together a consultation that goes beyond the minimum requirements, in a short space of time
• what worked well

contact Southwark's Alcohol Strategy Coordinator, Cathy Bruce, on 020 7863 3154 or cathy.bruce@southwark.gov.uk