Pubs pay for police
Pubs in a Hertfordshire town are paying for extra police to patrol at peak times.
Funding comes from the 450 firms, including around 30 pubs and restaurants, in Royston that contribute to the Business Improvement District.
Two extra officers patrol Royston on eight-hour shifts, mainly on weekend evening, under the scheme that started last weekend.
Under the Bid, firms pay an extra 2% levy on their business rates to fund initiatives to improvement safety and the local environment.
The three-month pilot police patrol scheme is set to cost a little under £15,000, said Royston town manager Geraint Burnell, who helps facilitate the Bid. It's believed to be the first time money from a Bid has been used to pay for police. Usually security firms are used.
Burnell said Royston didn't have any particular alcohol-related problems, adding: "There are things we want to keep a lid on, like kids drinking in parks and general boisterousness when people come out of pubs in the evening.
"We will continue to work with police to monitor the project and make any changes where necessary."
Geoff Camp, chief inspector for North Hertfordshire, said feedback from the first patrols had been positive.
Jim Beech, licensee of Royston's Chequers Hotel, has refused to join the bid. It would cost him £370 per year extra on his rates.
"I don't see why I should pay any more," he said. "I'm trying to get my rates reduced because of the smoke ban and they're trying to get more off me for policing."
