Border Telegraph | News | Plassic glasses on cards

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Wednesday, 19th December, 2007 12:30

Plassic glasses on cards

By Caitlin Smith

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A MAJOR crackdown is being planned on pubs in the Borders in an effort to cut anti-social behaviour.

A meeting organised by the Licensing Forum was held recently to discuss various measures, which are to be phased in from February next year.

The group - made up of Licensing Board (West) members, the Community Safety Forum, police and young people – examined routes to cut noise nuisance in town centres, which could mean the end of karaoke after 11 p.m.

Bars across the Borders may also be forced to switch from serving drinks in glasses to pouring pints in plastic if they operate after midnight.

Other items on the agenda include making pubs more child-friendly.

Carolyn Riddell-Carre, Chair of the Licensing Board (West) said: “We still have to answer a lot of questions.

“But people don’t need to worry that pubs and bars are going to get turned into nurseries. It’s perfectly understandable that parents need a place to get away from their little treasures, so we’re not looking to set them up as crèches, though we are also aware that young families want to take their kids in for a pub lunch on occasion.

“It’s just a matter of finding the right balance and that is why we encourage people to come forward with their views.”

Other suggested policies include tighter litter control outside premises and a written operation plan for every licensed premise in the area, which would include consultation with emergency services on health and safety.

Local pub owners say they are feeling the pressure just now, following the smoking ban and the prevalence of cheap supermarket alcohol.

And fears are growing that stricter controls could hit them hard.

Councillor Riddell-Carre told the Border Telegraph: “If licensees have concerns, then I urge them to write to the Licensing Forum because at the moment nothing is cast in stone.

“As a council, our main concern is to keep the town centre vibrant and to do this we need to keep people living within the centre.

“But they will not do this if there is continual noise and people being violent and threatening each other with broken glasses at all hours.

“The suggestion to stop karaoke after 11p.m. was put forward by the Community Safety Forum.

“It is a common measure adopted in many towns and has proven to reduce noise.”

Ian Whitehead, owner of the Auld Mill, said that while measures to ban music after 11 p.m. would not affect his business, he was concerned about the possibility of serving alcohol in plastic cups.

He said: “I’ve heard nothing about these new measures but I don’t think people will like it very much if they have to drink pints out of plastic.

“It’s fine for functions but not everyday drinking.”

If you are a licensee and would like to make your views known contact Anne Isles at Scottish Borders Council.

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