A LICENSING justices chairman has criticised policing of pubs and clubs after figures showed that arrests for drunkenness in Blackburn, Darwen and the Ribble Valley doubled over the last two years.
David Dunderdale, chairman of the licensing justices, said: "The licensing committee is not satisfied that there is adequate policing of licensed premises.
"There were 698 arrests for drunkenness in 1997, a figure which has doubled over the last two years.
"We are also concerned that the number of incidents at licensed premises rose to 283, the third annual increase."
Mr Dunderdale was responding to the police report, submitted at the Brewster licensing sessions last month, which showed that in 1997 there were 454 crimes at licensed premises. They included:
106 assaults
70 cases of criminal damage
114 cases of theft and handling
130 burglaries
4 robberies
16 car crimes
Speaking at the licensing committee meeting at Blackburn Magistrates Court, Mr Dunderdale also voiced concern about under-age drinking and the low number of related prosecutions.
He commented on the amount of broken glass left on the streets of Blackburn and urged licensees to refrain wherever possible from serving bottled drinks which could easily be taken out on to the street.
Blackburn based licensing sergeant Steve Shepherd said after the hearing: "We are aware of the increase in drunkenness but this part of the world is no worse than anywhere else.
"We are taking a more pro-active approach to public tranquillity and that is why there have been more arrests of drunks than ever before.
"We are satisfied with the way licensed premises are policed."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article