BBC shows town’s ‘drinking culture’

OLDHAM’S attempt to reclaim town centre streets from drunken louts was showcased in the BBC’s prime-time current affairs programme “Panorama” last night.

Presenter Richard Bilton highlighted moves by Oldham Council to curb binge drinking by becoming the first town in the UK to introduce strict new rules in bars promoting cheap drinks.

And Councillor Mark Alcock says that other councils, including Manchester, Bury and Portsmouth, are planning to come to see how it’s done.

Oldham was mired in controversy earlier this year when cheap drink offers in nightspots hit the headlines.

But the council is now turning the table on the louts, with licence reviews for 22 town centre bars currently in process.

Bars who refuse to charge at least 75p for a unit of alcohol (about £1.88 for a pint of strong lager) will have to introduce radical measures, including a ‘Post Office-style’ queuing system and limit to the number of drinks people can buy at any one time.

Bars which run cheap drink promotions could be made to pay for the presence of police officers in their bar.

The moves to crack down on the alcohol-related disorder come at a crucial time for Oldham.

Yorkshire Street alone witnessed a 200 per cent increase in serious violent incidents in the first four months of this year — the equivalent of a stabbing, or assault with the intention to kill, every Friday and Saturday night.

In a chilling reminder of the battle police face, Mr Bilton caught up with Daniel Powell, who needed 51 staples in his head after he was attacked with a bottle in a Yorkshire Street nightspot in July last year.

The documentary claimed that 12 women have been raped after nights out in Oldham in the past three years. It said that in two of the incidents, the victims were too drunk to remember the assault.

Residents spoke about how they avoid the town centre, with one saying: “You go out in Yorkshire Street on a Friday night and you are taking your life in your hands.”

But Oldham’s bold moves mean that the town is on the up again, according to Councillor Mark Alcock who says changes are reaping dividends.

“With the support of the police, we have already come to agreements with 14 bars and the owners have been telling us that they are finding that much nicer people have been coming into town since the changes were put in place.

“We are working with each individual bar to find a solution that works for their particular establishment, so that everyone benefits.

“In one bar for instance, they have agreed to only sell lager for £1 a pint to people who are buying a meal at the same time.”

And police say they have also noticed a few changes in recent months.

Detective Sergeant John Murdoch, of Greater Manchester Police said: “Over the past weekend only three arrests for minor alcohol-related crimes were made in Oldham town centre.

“In recent months we have seen a reduction in crime and disorder in the town centre at night.

“This has been achieved by working with Oldham Council’s licensing department, Trading Standards, the licensees and taxi operators.

“A lot of work has also been done with the licensees regarding issues including ‘all-inclusive drinks promotions’ (such as all-you-can-drink for £5.99) and they have responded very well.”

Councillor Alcock added: “We want people to come into Oldham and be able to have a few drinks and enjoy themselves.

“This will help us achieve our long-term goal of having a more diverse night time economy because we will become a more attractive prospect for potential investors.

“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’re getting there.”