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."

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