Trade slams proposed Southampton stress area

A firm of licensing solicitors has slammed a proposed cumulative impact zone in Southampton for not being based on any evidence of a rise in crime and disorder.

Southampton City Council is consulting on implementing three stress areas in the city, which would mean that no new licences and no late extensions could be granted unless the applicant can prove that it would not increase disorder.

However, Poppleston Allen's James Anderson believes not enough evidence has been provided to implement a stress area. Evidence from police says "based on the analysis of the crime data, it is inferred that violent offending in all three of these [stress area] locations is affected by alcohol in a pattern that is higher than that seen across the City as a whole".

It goes on to say that "the reason for this pattern is the availability of alcohol due to the concentration of licensed premises in the area".

Finally, it states that "consequently restricting or reducing the availability of alcohol in these areas has the potential to reduce violence. Further increasing the availability of alcohol in these areas has the potential to further increase violent offending. A Cumulative Impact Policy has potential to be of benefit to all three of these locations."

Anderson said: "We are nowhere asked to consider the comparison over the last three years to see whether crime and disorder has increased or decreased. Surely this should be the test as to whether a restriction on further licensed premises is necessary?

"To base the policy on a comparison between one area where there are lots of licensed premises and other areas where there are not frankly misses the point.

"I would hope that the Southampton City councillors ask some searching questions and debate this issue seriously before such a restricted policy is introduced to these areas on the evidence produced so far."

He added: "My concern has always been that this approach is a convenient panacea which enables some authorities to gain political capital from being seen to take a strong stance against perceived rising alcohol related crime and antisocial behaviour."