Mansfield hosts pay for extra policing

Mansfield licensees have agreed to pay for policing in a bid to cut antisocial behaviour.

More than 75% of pubs, clubs and takeaways have agreed to contribute between £30 and £100 a week, depending on size and opening hours, to the Heart of Mansfield fund.

The initial commitment of £1,000 for the first month will be spent on extra policing at weekends and a range of educational activities.

The new voluntary fund will be controlled by the Mansfield Association of Licensed Venues (MALV) and has been further boosted by contributions from Nottinghamshire Police, bus firm Stagecoach and doorstaff operator Level One Security.

More than 10,000 revellers visit the town every weekend and, despite a drop of 6% in serious assaults last year, there were still 730 recorded.

Any extra officers hired and paid for will be matched with another free of charge by the police. The officers' specific duties will be decided by the MALV and are likely to include two visits to contributing premises on Saturday nights and patrolling bus, taxi and takeaway queues.

"A number of chief constables have called for a tax on licensed premises to help tackle alcoholrelated disorder and I am delighted that here in Mansfield we have seized the initiative

voluntarily," said councillor Andre Camilleri.

MALV chairman Paul Ander-ton added: "Over the past couple of years Mansfield has become a safer place to be at night and this scheme is a way of ensuring that it continues to get even safer."

Other activities planned in-clude extra street-cleaning shifts, responsible-drinking campaigns, roaming door supervisors and expansion of CCTV coverage.