Bassetlaw Community Safety Partnership is getting tough on town centre violence and disorder.

Police enforcement, high-visibility patrols, test purchase operations and a hard-hitting poster campaign are being used in the clamp down on alcohol-related violence across the district.

David Hunter, Chief Executive of Bassetlaw District Council said: “All organisations in the Community Safety Partnership are keen to do all we can, through enforcement, prevention and education, to reduce violent crime in our town centres. We want everyone to feel safe and be safe in our towns and enjoy the facilities available.”

High visibility police patrols on Friday and Saturday nights have been stepped up as part of the crackdown, to provide reassurance and early intervention at any potential incidents of disorder.

Police officers will conduct ‘walk throughs’ of pubs to establish the age of customers and the general atmosphere. Licensing visits are also being undertaken to ensure all licensing conditions are being complied with and that all door staff are correctly registered.

Troublemakers run the risk of being caught on camera by a mobile CCTV unit, which will tour Worksop and Retford town centres.

Bassetlaw Police Chief Inspector Ian Barrowcliff said: “The majority of violence offences that happen in this area are alcohol related and often involve people that know one another. It is often these people that wake up the following morning in a hospital bed or police cell.

“Their lack of self control places extra demand on the police, licensed premises, door staff and hospitals who bear the brunt of the consequences. This type of behaviour will not be tolerated in our town centres and we will take whatever action is necessary to make people realise that.”

Inside pubs and clubs revellers will be targeted with a poster campaign, urging people to think about their drinking limits.

The posters feature female and male models and captions like: “Hi boys! Show me your six pack, not what’s inside it.” And “Hi girls! If he’s too drunk to walk away from trouble, show him how it’s done.”

The strategy behind the poster campaign is based on what many young adults fear the most - being laughed at and not being as attractive as they think they are. The main message is that binge drinking is unattractive.

Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust and Bassetlaw Hospital Accident & Emergency are displaying posters in doctors’ surgeries and hospital waiting rooms.

Credit card sized advice cards containing useful telephone numbers for local health advice and support groups, are also being given out in colleges, sixth forms and Accident & Emergency.

John Taylor, Alcohol Strategy Lead for Nottinghamshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team said: "We welcome this initiative that seeks to reduce the negative consequences of alcohol use. When people go out to enjoy social drinking they should be aware that they are responsible for their own behaviour and the way that that might affect others. Going out to get drunk increases the risks of illness and injury not just for the drinker but everyone that they meet. By staying in control and setting safe limits to alcohol consumption everyone can look forward to a more enjoyable night out."

Worksop and Retford Pubwatch have shown their support to the campaign and T-shirts bearing similar slogans to the posters are being worn by bar staff.

People who commit violence and are banned from a Pubwatch premises will be turned away from all pubs that are members of Pubwatch under the ‘Banned from One Banned from All’ policy.

Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Partnerships at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "This is an excellent campaign which uses education and enforcement to help target underage drinking and violent crime in Bassetlaw. However, we can only go so far and it is up to local people to take responsibility for their own actions and realise that heavy drinking can lead to them being arrested, hurt or even killed."


Rebecca Tomlinson
Communications Officer
Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood
Nottinghamshire Police
01636 657981 or mobile 0797 11 59 048

Chief Superindendent's Open Letter January 2007 (pdf)

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