Police repeat calls for polycarbonates

Humberside police force has repeated its call for a glass ban after a second glassing incident in three months.

The latest incident took place at Magma bar in Hull city centre in June and left a 22-year-old man with a pierced eyeball.

Magma already serves drinks in polycarbonate glasses but still uses some glass bottles due to lack of alternatives.

"We serve some plastic

bottles. If we could buy brands such as Stella in plastic bottles we would," Magma owner Peter Del Grosso told the Hull Daily Mail.

"People like to hold a branded bottle. Venues can only do so much. The drinks industry has to do its bit too."

In April, Laurie Baxter was left blinded in his right eye after being glassed at

the Bevvy pub. His attacker, 21-year-old Zack Gibson, was given a six-and-a-half-year custodial sentence. That incident led to police urging all late-night premises to use plastic glasses.

So far, two clubs and a number of high-volume bars have begun introducing polycarbonates.

Licensing officer PC Gary Parker said: "While glass remains in bars, this type of thing will keep happening. Polycarbonate glasses are much more durable and last a long time.

"That message has come from everyone who has used them."

However, James Kitching,

of the Full Measure in Driffield, outside Hull, said a blanket glass ban would make no sense.

"We had a chat about it

and a look at the polycarbonate glasses in our pubwatch meeting. They look fine, but people want a glass. A glass ban in nightclubs may be one way forward, but not in pubs," he said.