North Yorkshire pub landlords hit out at new Drinking Banning Orders (From York Press)

North Yorkshire pub landlords hit out at new Drinking Banning Orders

8:21am Wednesday 2nd September 2009 in News By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk

PUB landlords in North Yorkshire have branded “booze ASBOs” aimed at banning alcohol-soaked troublemakers from bars a pointless exercise.

From this week, police and councils are able to slap Drinking Banning Orders on anybody aged 16 or over if they drunkenly misbehave.

Anyone who receives the punishment will have to stay away from pubs, bars, off-licences and designated areas for two years or face being hit with a £2,500 fine, but the scheme has already been derided by the Magistrates Association as “nonsense”.

Landlords who say they are already aware of the action to take against boozed-up yobs have claimed attention should instead focus on cheap supermarket alcohol which encourages people to get drunk at home before a night on the town.

Dan Murphy, who runs the White Horse, in Bootham, York, said: “Our staff are already well-trained in who they shouldn’t serve, so this just seems like another piece of red tape.

“I don’t see the point of it because we already have measures in place.”

Fellow landlord Trevor King, secretary of York Licensed Victuallers’ Association, said: “I can’t see these orders making much difference at all.

“People are drinking more at home before coming out, but pubs know not to serve anybody who is drink. It seems to be a bit of a gimmick.”

Darren Rushworth, landlord of the Derwent Arms, at Norton, near Malton, agreed, saying: “There are guidelines in place and we should be allowed to police our own premises.

“These orders are looking in the wrong place – the problems happen when people drink cheap alcohol at home before coming out, so it seems pointless.”

But the Government insists the orders will mean irresponsible drinkers facing “very real consequences” and North Yorkshire Police has backed the orders.

Chief Inspector Nick Warnes, of the force’s Safer Neighbourhood and Partnership Development department, said: “We welcome their introduction to help in our efforts to tackle antisocial behaviour and crim. We know from first-hand experience that alcohol consumption is very often at the centre of violent crime and disorder.

“This is another tool available to us which will help us to deal with persistent and regular offending.”

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: “The council fully supports the introduction of the new Government initiative to help combat alcohol-related crime. Drinking Banning Orders will be a way for the council and North Yorkshire Police to tackle drink-related problems in York, and we echo the police’s guidance for adults to always drink responsibly and sensibly.”