Blanket glass ban defeated
Attempts to introduce a blanket glass ban in south Northamptonshire have been defeated.
The campaign to go polycarbonate was launched by police, local media and medical professionals, after a man had a glass smashed in his face in a Daventry pub.
Sustained pressure from the Morning Advertiser, which launched a campaign to halt blanket glass bans, including a petition on the prime minister's website, has helped to overturn the policy. However, the council and police will continue to encourage licensees to switch from glass, but will not force them to do so.
"We are here to educate not legislate," licensing committee chairman Jim Byrom told the Morning Advertiser's website.
"There is no way we will say 'thou shalt use polycarbonate glasses' - it should be up to each pub to decide."
Byrom also runs a nursing home and switched to polycarbonate glasses last year.
"I think there are benefits in terms of less breakages and customer safety, but even that must be put in perspective - the press tend to go overboard whenever there is a glassing incident.
"On the whole, the licensed trade is good and performs an excellent service for the community." He added: "I do think it could be beneficial to give people polycarbonates for drinking outside, especially with the smoking ban.
"The best way to encourage pubs to take up using polycarbs is to educate them and get them to give them a try."
Ultimate extends glass ban
Nightclub operator Ultimate Leisure is extending its ban on glass containers following trials during the summer.
Ultimate has chosen to make the switch to polycarbonate containers permanent at Kiss in the Bigg Market, Newcastle, and nearby Jimmyz in Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear.
Ultimate chief executive Mark Jones said: "We've had no customer backlash as feared. The management team and team members like the change, so we made it permanent."
In addition, the trial glass ban at Halo in Leeds is to be extended so Ultimate can assess the impact of the move now the university students have returned. There are also plans for trial glass bans at another two sites.
"That will give us five sites that are fully polycarbonate.
We will then do the same as and when it's appropriate for late-night businesses that are high-energy," added Jones.
"We are not advocating a blanket ban. But on the other hand, we are not totally opposed [to going polycarbonate]. There are circumstances where going polycarbonate is fine."
Jones said no other operator has so far taken up his offer to study the impact of the trial glass bans. But the findings are to be discussed at a Newcastle Licensing Forum meeting next month.
