Working together to tackle booze fuelled crime

4:09pm Saturday 17th May 2008

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PUBS, off-licences and supermarkets have agreed to stop selling alcohol between 5pm and 7pm on Padgate and Woolston Walking Day to help tackle booze-fuelled crime.

Supermarket giants Sainsburys and the Co-op have signed up to help aid policing of the event on Saturday, June 21.

Around 40 landlords and licencees met with police officers at Fearnhead Cross Community Centre on Thursday morning to discuss the reasons behind the move with Inspector Derek Lockie, of Warrington East neighbourhood policing unit.

Insp Lockie said: "This was something we did last year, before the Garry Newlove situation. It gives us the opportunity to clear things up afterwards and police people on the way home.

"It helps us stop people drinking all day because they go home and they get some food.

"If you let them keep drinking and drinking it can be a problem, but it is a community day and this way they come back later and enjoy themselves.

"The co-operation of the licensees shows that they are very responsible around here - they don't have to do this."

Around 18 pubs and clubs agreed to close last year, however, this time all the off-licences in Padgate, Woolston and part of Orford will alsobe closing.

Supermarkets in the area have also agreed to stop selling alcohol for the two hour period.

Meetings between the police and licensees from Padgate, Woolston, Birchwood and Culcheth are held every three or four months - with alcohol related crime top of the agenda.

Insp Lockie added: "Basically we want to have an honest debate.

"We have a close relationship, they listen to me and I listen to them.

"I don't want a blame culture, I just want things to move forward."

One supermarket worker told the Warrington Guardian the meeting was an example of the good relationship' they share with the police.

She said: "I thought it was good because we can say what we want and it doesn't get shouted down."

Another licensee described the meeting as very positive'.

She said: "Parents have got to start taking responsibility - it is too easy to blame the licence holders when it is the parents in the majority of cases buying alcohol for their kids. We all need to play our part."