Licensee opens door to police

A landlord in Blackburn, Lancashire, has opened his doors to the police in the hope it will improve communication between his regulars and community officers.

John Edmondson, of the Knuzden Brook, was approached by Accrington Police about the possibility of trialing a Police and Community Together (PACT) surgery, where residents can challenge the police on local issues, following a previous unsuccessful stint in a school.

Mr Edmondson, who hopes to use the opportunity himself to talk to locals after suffering anti-social behaviour from teenagers behind his pub, agreed, and now the police aim to hold the district's first ever PACT in a pub within a month.

He said: "The British pub is the centre of the local community. People come to find out what's going on. That's what it's for. Having the meeting here will benefit everybody. It will involve more of the locals. My regulars are happy and I'm happy to be able to do my part."

He adds: "I'm not doing this for any financial reason. I'd rather the residents were happy that something is being done and they can actually see something being done."

Sgt Claire Cooper, who covers the local area, believes the Knuzden Brook is the perfect place to grab the attention of members of the community.

She said: "It's likely to be in the day time, probably a weekday, maybe four or five in the afternoon, when the regulars are in."

She adds: "We hope we will get a lot more people letting the beat officers know what's going on."

It is hoped that the trial will prove successful enough to make permanent and possibly extend to other districts in Lancashire.