‘Booze ban’ at anti-social behaviour hotspots

Drinking alcohol at designated anti-social behaviour hotspots across the Mansfield district has been banned, under tough new measures to reduce alcohol-related disorder and create a greater ‘community-friendly’ atmosphere in public places.

Designated Public Places Orders (DPPOs) came into effect on 1 August, meaning that the Police and Mansfield District Council’s Neighbourhood Wardens have the authority to confiscate alcohol from anyone found drinking it in public places covered by the orders.

Anyone who refuses to comply with a request from a Police Officer or Warden to surrender alcohol in the designated areas is committing an offence and could be arrested and/or issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Every ward in Mansfield has had at least one part of it designated as a DPPO area, with a total of 24 separate parks, residential areas, town centres, shopping parades and open spaces covered by the orders.

Amongst the areas covered by the new DPPOs are:
• Mansfield Town Centre, including the market place, all the main retail areas, car parks, bus station and railway station.
• All 14 of Mansfield District Council’s parks.
• A large part of Meden Vale, including Egmanton Road, Elkesley Road and the football and cricket grounds.
• Parts of the Ladybrook Estate, including the streets, school grounds and playing fields around Armstrong Road and Somersall Street.
• Parts of Forest Town, including the Garabaldi Estate, the Avenues and Forest Town Miners Welfare sports grounds.

Mansfield District Council has erected more than 100 signs in the areas covered by the DPPOs, informing the public about the restrictions and possible penalties.

The areas have been selected by the Council in consultation with the Police and local communities, based on the number of drink-related disorder incidents or potential for drink-related disorder caused by displacement.

In 2008/09 there were 6,632 reported incidents classed as ‘rowdy or inconsiderate behaviour’ in the Mansfield district, with many of the incidents fuelled by alcohol.

The DPPO restrictions do not apply to outdoor drinking areas, beer gardens or special events that have been licensed by the Council.

The powers are in addition to those already held by the Police and Council Wardens which allows them to confiscate alcohol from anyone aged under-18 anywhere in the district.

Chief Inspector for Communities for Mansfield and Ashfield Police, Paul Winter said: “Designated Public Place Orders have been extremely effective in Nottingham city centre in helping to reduce antisocial behaviour that occurs as a result of people drinking in the streets.

“A zero tolerance approach has been adopted because we feel the public want us to take a positive stance on this.

“In my experience, the majority of people understand the issues around street drinking and when they are asked to stop drinking in the street they comply. DPPOs provide police and other enforcement agencies with powers to take action.

“This can only help to make those areas of Mansfield safer places to be and will start to address some of the problems that cause anxiety and upset to members of the community.”

Councillor Danny McCrossan, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection at Mansfield District Council and MPAC Strategic Board Member added: “A lot of residents tell us that they feel intimidated by people drinking outdoors in parks, residential streets and in the town centre and as well as the obvious health problems, drinking in public all too often leads to anti-social behaviour and disorder.

“The Council and Police have done a huge amount of positive work with licensees to reduce alcohol-related disorder within licensed premises. The DPPOs allow us to take this to the streets and clamp down on problems out in communities, often before they begin.”

Full details on the DPPOs and a map of the areas covered in each ward in the Mansfield district can be viewed on-line at www.mansfield.gov.uk/dppo