Ban on Alcohol in Public to be Introduced in Parts of Scarborough Next Week

North Yorkshire Council says a ban on the drinking of alcohol in public in an area Scarborough will support local businesses and create a welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.

North Yorkshire Council and North Yorkshire Police will be introducing a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Scarborough on October 15. The move is part of the Council's wider, coordinated approach to support the community and businesses in the town.

The new order covers most of Scarborough and enables council officers and the police to work together to proactively combat anti-social behaviour. It means drinking in the street is prohibited if it is causing, or likely to cause, harassment, alarm and distress.

However, in a first for the county, the measure will also see the drinking of alcohol in public in a specific area of the town centre forbidden. This 'hotspot' covers Falsgrave, into the town centre pedestrianised area, around the railway station and nearby public spaces towards the beach.

Refusing to comply with a request to stop drinking can lead to the issuing of a fixed penalty notice, which, if not paid, can lead to court proceedings. Licensed premises with outdoor seating areas are not affected by this legislation.

North Yorkshire Council's executive member for corporate services, Cllr Heather Phillips, said:

"The issues affecting Scarborough are no different to many other places across the country. However, it is important that when we have the means to tackle them, we do so.

"Getting to this point has involved a lot of hard work and the support of many people and organisations within the town. I am confident the measures we can now take will have a positive effect and make Scarborough a safer place in which to work and relax."

The new order follows widespread conversations with residents, businesses and the police.

A public consultation was held in May with more than 430 people responding.

The results revealed that:

• 96 per cent of respondents agreed that North Yorkshire Council should take steps to deter the consumption of alcohol in public, in the form of street drinking.
• 91 per cent of respondents agreed that the drinking of alcohol in the street should be banned entirely in the town centre hotspot area, regardless of whether it is contributing towards antisocial behaviour.

Cllr Phillips added:

"It is important to note that as well as the steps we will take to combat problem drinking in the hotspot area, we are also doing lots of work behind the scenes with relevant organisations to help those affected by issues around alcohol.

"North Yorkshire Council's Community Safety Hub has well-established and strong partnership arrangements, which focus on support for those who may be vulnerable, including those who may be rough sleeping."

Some people who took part in the public consultation expressed concern that identifying a 'hotspot' zone might lead to the problem being displaced elsewhere.

However, Cllr Phillips said:

"Although drinking alcohol in public would be banned in this area, the PSPO will still be in place for the wider area where it is an offence if it is found to be contributing to antisocial behaviour.

"This means that the order will still enable officers to tackle street consumption of alcohol where these instances occur."

North Yorkshire Council's member for the Castle Division, Cllr Janet Jefferson, has welcomed the introduction of the measures.

The president of the Scarborough Chamber of Commerce and the chair of the Scarborough Anti-Theft Group, Cllr Jefferson said:

"Scarborough is a beautiful and welcoming town, but there are elements that can create a bad impression for people who visit the area and affect the quality of life for those who live here.

"I have been pushing for these measures for some time and I know they will be welcomed widely. These are tools we can add to what we have already and will make Scarborough a nicer and safer place for everyone."

North Yorkshire Police's senior operational manager for Coast Command, Supt Rachel Wood said:

"Tackling street-drinking and related anti-social behaviour is vital for a family-friendly town like Scarborough.

"The introduction of the new Public Spaces Protection Order is therefore greatly welcomed. It enhances our collective power to take direct action against individuals and groups whose behaviour has a detrimental impact in the town centre especially.

"Together with our council colleagues, we will continue to do all we can to improve the safety and quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors to Scarborough."

The director of the Goodall Group Ltd and a member of the Scarborough Town Centre Team, James Goodall, said:

"The Town Centre Team are very pleased that the Public Spaces Protection Order has been passed and welcome its introduction to the town centre.

"Reducing anti-social behaviour, and specifically street drinking, has been a key area that we have been keen to tackle since our inception.

"As such we welcome any measures that enable the council, police and safer communities partnership to make the town centre a pleasant and welcoming environment for all.

"The Town Centre Team believes that the enforcement of the Public Spaces Protection Order is an integral part of the rejuvenation of Scarborough town centre and is intrinsic to the ongoing regeneration.

"This is an important step in creating a safer environment for the public and businesses in the town centre. Together, we hope this will help us build a more welcoming, family friendly and secure community for everyone who uses the town centre."

The scheme has also been backed by Albermarle Crescent resident, Tony Gibson.

"We have a lovely green in the middle of our crescent which is extremely well-maintained by our council gardeners. It's lovely to sit and look out onto the green and see families enjoying this space," he said. "This area could and should be idyllic, however, we have had problems with anti-social behaviour and have had to put up with groups of people congregating on the green from morning until late at night."

Mr Gibson said that he hopes the new measures will help address the situation.

"Visitors park up around the crescent and it's not a good impression when the first thing you see is people acting anti-socially," he said. "If we are serious about restoring Scarborough's prestigious reputation, this kind of public disorder has to stop and hopefully measures like this will help."