Booze queues get the thumbs up

PLANS for a post office style queuing system to stamp out drunken behaviour in the town centre have been met with a big thumbs up.

The council’s trading standards department announced details of a review of the licences of 22 pubs and clubs in a bid to quash trouble caused by cut-price drinks promotions.

Trading standards officers are proposing restrictions such as a strict queuing system, a limit on how many drinks people can buy at any one time, extra door staff and money from pubs and clubs to fund extra police officers.

Lee Le Clercq, regional secretary of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We fully support Oldham’s objective in tackling and eradicating irresponsible promotions. We have always been clear that irresponsible promotions have no place in the pub trade.

“We have played a lead role in identifying promotions that should not be run and establishing high standards in this area. Indeed, we support action being taken at a national level through the Mandatory Code currently going through Parliament.

“This would set a level playing field for all across the country and avoid any legal problems that could potentially emerge from this type of action, where it is not clear Oldham have the power to take the blanket action they are proposing.

“ We would be very happy to discuss the issue further with Oldham Council.”

Under the Licensing Act 2003, councils cannot ban drinks promotions altogether but they can set strict conditions on how they are run.

This is the first time a local authority has applied to impose such restrictions since the legislation came into force. Brownz, in Yorkshire Street, was temporarily closed last week following an emergency review after three people were stabbed outside the club in the early hours.

Councillor Mark Alcock said: “We want to make Oldham a safer place to shop, work and socialise. We have had a lot of support and I think people understand what we are trying to do.

“We are not trying to put people out of business, we are trying to help them by cutting out trouble and encouraging more people into the town centre.

“Most of the thousands of people who come into Oldham at weekends are well behaved and want a good time. It is the minority that ruins it for everyone else.”

In December, the drinks industry withdrew its own voluntary social responsibility code which sought to limit heavily discounted booze and all you can drink deals.