Christmas crackdown on Swansea's booze problems
TIME is being called on booze-related crime in the countdown to Christmas.
Emergency services, along with local authority chiefs, have teamed up in a bid to drive down anti-social behaviour as the festive party season gets underway.
-

Christmas crackdown on Swansea's booze problems
A series of measures have been drawn up as part of the clampdown.
Action includes high visibility policing in trouble-spots during the party season, plastic glasses being handed out in pubs and clubs in a drive to curb the risk of alcohol related injuries and taxi marshals will be out patrolling the ranks to prevent problems.
Meanwhile, a mobile CCTV vehicle will be monitoring problem areas in the city centre to keep revellers safe and to target anti-social behaviour.
The annual Call Time on Violent Crime campaign, which has been brought to the city by the Safer Swansea Partnership, kicked off on Saturday with checks carried out at pubs and clubs by the high visibility partnership team on Wind Street and The Kingsway. Police, fire and the council all make up the partnership team. City centre Inspector Cath Larkman said: "The multi-agency work carried out marks the launch of Safer Swansea's Christmas Call Time on Violent Crime campaign.
"We took tough action to address city centre problems.
"On this occasion, we focused on drug misuse in and around licensed premises and young persons trying to gain entry to premises when under-age."
The strategy led to close working with door staff, bar staff, taxi marshals and parking enforcement officers to ensure a tough line was adopted to tackle alcohol-related disorder.
Issues included the use of fake identification, ensuring licensees were upholding conditions of their licence, including handing out toughened plastic glasses on special nights and by bar staff serving drunk people.











4 Comments
by Swansea boy, Swansea
Friday, November 27 2009, 2:54PM
“Too many people think that it's all about them, it's their experience and they couldn't care less about others. Selfish people. I myself have seen the "Carnage" night from my window. I looked and saw about twenty people outside my flat but the noise made it sound like a busy Saturday. I thought pubs and clubs had a responsibility to ensure people leave their premises quietly? The smoking ban has seen an increase on people having shouted conversations outside pubs - why is there no signage to say it is also RESIDENTIAL area?? The comments about a lack of Police presence is so true. Trying to walk home some nights is a challenge to say the least - especially when you try and get through the alley that connects the Strand and Wind Street. Does anyone understand "excuse me, please"?? Wind Street often stinks of urine. BUSLOADS of Valleys boys use Hays recruitment building as a urinal too and dump their bottles all over the wall. I'm ashamed to be a Jack at times. There are some terrible horrible struggles in this city.”
by swansea girl, swansea
Friday, November 27 2009, 12:50PM
“As encouraging as it is to see that more effort is being made to keep order during the festive season it beggars belief why these measures are not in place all year round? Any one who lives int he city centre knows how difficult it can be to have a normal evening at home when binge drinking is encouraged all week long causing unacceptable noise invading their homes. Monday is student Carnage night a mass student pub crawl with ineffective stewards who instead of maintaining order seem to goad the students to make as much noise as possible when travelling between drinking establishments. Wed is tradional student night with clubs and pubs offering very cheap alcohol. Friday, Saturday and Sunday being the regular time for revellers who work during the week. The pubs and clubs on Wind street offer mid week enterainment which includes karaoke and live bands. When there is so much entertainment available, all year, every day of the week why is there no effort made to clamp down on anti social behaviour. There are people regualrly shouting, fighting and urinating on Wind street. Why does a proportion of our council tax money go towards a police force, when they are not around to prevent this behaviour?
Is this the way Swansea wants to be seen by visitors and future holidaymakers?”
by Taxi Driver, Swansea Taxi Ranks
Friday, November 27 2009, 10:31AM
“With reference to the above story, I feel a need to make comments. Firstly, the Parking Enforcement Officers (operated by the Council) haven't been seen out in the evenings (as promised) and secondly, the Taxi Marshalls have been removed off the Kingsway, where there is constant problems. Is there goin to be any improvement of the Christmas period, we ask ourselves.”
by Lord Hafod, Swansea
Thursday, November 26 2009, 10:15PM
“It is reassuring that all this effort is being put into place to make the city safer. I find it sad that a small number of people behave so badly that our emergecy service personnel are tied up dealing with this anti social behaviour, therefore reducing cover in the rest of the city. These offenders apart from being banned should be tagged on their wrists so they cannot get served in any pub or club. I hope it is a success but unless the courts get tougher this will be a recurring problem.”