Archive - Friday, 6 February 2004


Find by date

Other ways to search

Also look for

Never miss anything again. Sign up for our RSS news feeds and Newsletters.

Pubwatch deters yobs

LANDLORDS in Melksham say their new hard line stance against drunken yobs is having a big impact.

For the first time their combined efforts through Melksham Pubwatch saw no drinkers banned over the Christmas and New Year period.

The group's future had looked in doubt as recently as November, when public criticism forced members to hold crisis talks. But after regrouping it launched a tougher no-nonsense approach to anti-social behaviour among drinkers.

As well as liaising more closely with police, the group asked doormen to be more vigilant about preventing people showing obvious signs of drunkenness from entering their pubs. Although Bud's is not a member of the group another development has seen its bouncers keeping order at the nearby kebab shop after the bar closes.

In the Market Place, The Tavern also agreed to stop its £10 drink as much as you like evenings, to which many of the problems had been attributed.

Members believe this stance helped deter would-be yobs over the festive

season and have pledged to keep it going.

Pubwatch chairman Cameron Scott said: "We were all disappointed by last year's suggestion the group was no longer effective in tackling troublemakers.

"There was also concern it might encourage some people to take advantage of the situation and start causing trouble again.

"But, for thousands of customers to come through our doors over the Christmas and New Year period without a single name being put forward for a ban is surely the best answer we could give our critics.

"Despite longer hours and customers with more disposable income, Melksham remains one of the safest places to socialise. Our success is a credit both to the hard work of Pubwatch members and the good behaviour of our customers."

Tavern manager John Stewart said: "The Christmas period is our busiest time of the year, and consequently the potential for trouble increases.

"Therefore, to be able to report this has been one of our safest years yet is a tremendous achievement.

"We'd like to see more local pubs and clubs join our ranks to increase our influence, but this is a very good start to 2004."

Melksham Pubwatch can recommended bans ranging from a few weeks to life for offences ranging from fighting to drug dealing.