A CLAMPDOWN on boozy behaviour at six locations across Worcester has come into force with the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).
The PSPO will apply to the whole of Worcester’s city centre plus areas at Cranham Drive and Windermere Drive in Warndon, KGV Playing Fields, an area around Rose Avenue in Tolladine and the Blackpole Industrial Estate.
Under the order, any person in those areas will be barred from drinking alchohol and asked to surrender to a police or civil enforcement officer any containers in their possession which the officer believes contains alcohol.
In future, any person found by police, community support or designated council officers to be in breach of the proposed requirements would be guilty of a criminal offence under the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 and fined £70. If they are prosecuted they could face a maximum fine of £1,000.
“It’s clear street drinking causes significant disturbance to residents and puts huge pressure on police time and hospital resources,” said Coun James Stanley, chair of Worcester City Council’s Communities Committee.
“Introducing this new order will give the council and police greater powers to intervene at an earlier stage and to take action where appropriate.”
The move follows a public consultation in the spring, which received 430 responses from members of the public.
Almost three quarters of those who responded described street drinking as a ‘big’ or ‘fairly big’ problem in Worcester while a similar number would support the confiscation of containers of alcohol within the designated public space.
The PSPO will not apply to licensed premises and their immediate surroundings. Premises or event organisers will still be able to apply for licences to temporarily enable the sale and consumption of alcohol.
