Pub:Safe Calls Time On Alcohol Related Crime

Pubs, Clubs and the South Beds Community Safety Partnership are joining forces to make nights out in Leighton Buzzard safer.

Pubsafe is a new initiative in the town, which will see members of the South Beds Community Safety Partnership work with licensees in the town to help reduce alcohol related crime and anti social behaviour in the town.

Similar schemes already operate successfully in Bedford and Luton and deal with troublemakers who ruin a night out for others trying to enjoy themselves.

The Pubsafe scheme, which will be launched on 12 June 2008, works in the following ways:

Anyone who is involved in an assault, violence or threats, damage to licensed premises or the surrounding area, the use or sale of drugs or acting in an anti-social way will, apart from any Police action, also be banned immediately from all member pubs and clubs in Leighton Buzzard.

The licensees, who will meet on a regular basis, then vote to either lift any current bans or confirm the ban for a period of twelve months or longer depending on the seriousness of the incident.

Member pubs and clubs will display signs to show that they are part of the scheme and will use two-way radios to communicate information between the members.

Scheme coordinator Colin James said, “We want people to enjoy themselves when they go out for an evening in Leighton Buzzard, but this is a clear signal to anyone who causes trouble that they are not welcome in the town. Once they understand that they could be banned from going out to pubs or clubs in Leighton Buzzard with their friends for a year or more, they will realise that they must act sensibly or accept the consequences.”

Already 23 pubs and clubs have signed up to the new scheme and licensee’s Chairman, Dave Gay and secretary Richard Graham said “We are not surprised so many licensees have signed up, as they are very keen to act together to get the scheme off the ground, they see it as a great way to deter the small minority who go out to get drunk and cause trouble”

Bedfordshire Police Licensing Officer, PC Chris Carey, welcomed the initiative adding: "We think this will be a great success in Leighton Buzzard and are looking forward to it spreading right across South Bedfordshire."