United police blitz sets sights on rogue traders
by John Harrington
Almost every police force in England and Wales is set to take part in the Christmas alcohol enforcement campaign, according to campaign co-ordinator Paul Evans, who spoke at the Morning Advertiser's Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards last Wednesday.
Evans, who heads the Home Office's Police Standards Unit, said that at least 145 of the 155 police Basic Command Units (BCUs) will join the Christmas blitz.
The number far surpasses the 92 BCUs involved in the eight-week summer campaign, and it sends a clear warning to irresponsible pub operators to get their houses in order over Christmas or face severe consequences.
Evans told a packed audience of pubco bosses, drinks firms and other interested parties at the lavish London ceremony: "[The Christmas blitz] will be a re-run of the summer campaign. I just came from a meeting this morning, already there are in excess of 145 BCUs that have signed up."
The former police chief, from Boston in the US, explained that crime fell in the areas that took part in the summer campaign, which saw police, environmental health officers and trading standards staff check pubs and clubs for signs of bad practice, in particular under-age drinking.
"When we looked at the result in the 92 areas that were involved, very serious crime decreased 9% compared to last year," Evans said. "In those BCUs that did not engage in the campaign, crime was up 1%."
Evans spoke with enthusiasm about the efforts of the majority of pub and club operators in Britain to rid their bars of bad practice. "I really think it's important and personally gratifying to be here and to hear first hand the commitment of the industry to address issues of irresponsibility and drinking.
"We both have and share the same agenda. We are about dealing with that small number of people who cause some problems. That is the irresponsible sellers and those irresponsible people who are destroying communities with acts of violence."
Entire trade is not under attack, claims Caborn
The trade isn't under attack from Government that was the message from Licensing Minister Richard Caborn, speaking at the Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards last Wednesday.
Caborn used his platform to reassure the trade that the Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy was aimed at the minority of rogue operators, and not the responsible majority.
Discussing the strategy, the minister said: "Of direct relevance for the retail industry are measures to tackle alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour, and asking the alcoholic drinks industry to take a lead in promoting more-responsible drinking and in reducing alcohol-related problems. These initiatives should not be seen as an attack on the trade."
He praised licensees for getting involved in Pubwatch schemes and forging close links with crime and disorder reduction partnerships.
But Caborn called for pub bosses to offer a "more diverse product" in their outlets in order to cut excessive drinking, "whether it be live music, late food or more flexible opening hours".
He also made a plea for sensible pricing. He acknowledged the "difficult issues" around minimum pricing schemes, but added: "There is no reason why individual businesses should not take their own decisions on responsible sales."
Call for driving licence penalty
Drunken troublemakers could be given points on their driving licences under a proposal that is reportedly being considered by Paul Evans.
According to The Observer on Sunday, the idea was suggested to Evans by senior police officers as part of a range of tough measures to tackle alcohol-fuelled disorder. Another proposal is for anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) to ban louts from certain nightspots.
