Prince of Wales road on the first saturday of the new drinking laws and things seem normal with most people leaving the clubs at the same sort of times and then waiting for taxis, even the off licence foun d there was little call for early morning purchases.; Photo: Simon Finlay; Copy: Tara Greeves; For: EDP News; EDP pics ÃÂ© 2005; (01603) 772434

‘We have seen an increase in violence, criminal damage and theft between 3am and 6am’ Norfolk police chief on crime in Norwich’s clubland

Lucy Wright Friday, September 14, 2012
8:49 AM

Plans to help cut crime in Norwich’s clubland were put on hold yesterday as councillors said they needed more time to consider introducing a scheme which would see a restriction on the sale of alcohol.

At a Norwich City council licensing meeting yesterday, councillors voted to hold another meeting to discuss whether or not a public consultation about introducing early-morning restriction orders (EMROs) should take place.

Councillors were concerned that EMROs, which could see a restriction on the sale of alcohol which would apply to all licensed premises, would have a negative effect on businesses.

In a presentation by Superintendent Paul Sanford and Chief Inspector Gavin Tempest from Norfolk Constabulary, councillors heard that one in five violent crimes occur near pubs, clubs and takeaways and 33pc of crimes happen on a Saturday night.

Supt Sanford said: “EMROs need a 42-day consultation period. Christmas is a peak period for crime and we want to be in a position where if you do decide to back the EMRO, that we are ready to go so we can start it straight away.”

While EMROs restrict the hours of sale, they do not restrict the hours of opening.

However, there was concern that businesses would suffer if the orders were introduced.

Councillor Ben Price said: “If we don’t have a certain amount of late night economy then people won’t want to come here.

“Business owners have spent a lot of time building the economy.”

In August this year, bar and club owners in Prince of Wales Road voluntarily agreed to stop selling alcohol at 4am to tackle the issue of rising night-time violence.

Chief Insp Tempest added: “We also have an option to introduce a levy. There’s a small number of people using the economy between 3am and 6am.”

Supt Sanford said: “The impact of the late licenses act which was introduced in 2003 saw more bars opening instead of clubs. We have seen an increase in violence, criminal damage and theft between 3am and 6am.”

He said that the Norwich night time economy has 55 venues licensed to be open beyond midnight.

9 comments

.....one in five violent crimes occur near pubs, clubs and takeaways and 33pc of crimes happen on a Saturday night.....ignore my earlier flawed statistical analysis but I do have some important observations. At the moment only about 33pc of crimes happen on Saturday night and only 20pc of violent crimes happen near to pubs, clubs and takeaways. What is needed is a drive for all crime to happen on Saturday nights (violent and non violent) and have all the police there to make arrests. Not achievable I hear you say. Well one option would be to have a special crime discount on Saturday nights, so offenders have an incentive to be arrested on Saturday Nights near to pubs, clubs and takeaways.

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popeye

Sunday, September 16, 2012
Just another reason why the new drinkingopen all hours laws do not work. As an ex-licencee (19yrs) I have experience of both systems and I'm yet to be shown that any good came out of the new - In my day the magistrates and police decided when you'll open, nowadays its a spotty-faced teenager at the council who has no experience, but due to their age takes a "young persons view" on matters. Opening all hours does not increase youre takings, Mr or Mrs Customer still has the same anount of money to spend, its just spread over a longer period, yet my costs soared - stff needed paying, rents increased and rates went sky high. Alcohol and trouble go hand in hand, unless you have experienced licencee's on hand, but nowadays any fool can get a licence as the pub-co's are so stretched to fill empty pubs. I recently made an application for a licence alteration on a pub i had been offered (for free) in the city - I wanted a return to the old days ie 11.00 - 11.00 and noon to 10.30pm on a sunday. I wanted to close at 2.30pm and re-open at 6pm and 7pm sundays - "Ms Council Licencing Expert of 12 mths experience" knocked me back saying "it was'nt in the plan of licencing hours within the city - well neither is an over-stretched police force struggling to deal with drunks, nor the financial viability of that pub - but as the 'expert' she got her way. The pub remains closed and I wont be advertising for 2 fulltime and 4 partime staff

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pubmandave

Sunday, September 16, 2012
....one in five violent crimes occur near pubs, clubs and takeaways and 33pc of crimes happen on a Saturday night.....I have done the maths. 6.6pc of violent crimes happen on Saturday night near to pubs, clubs and takeaways. 93.4pc of violent crimes happen somewhere else not on Saturdays. I hope this helps people bamboozled by statistics.

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popeye

Saturday, September 15, 2012
Seems it all very different today from when Ms Howlett was Chief Constable of Norfolk. What`s changed? "Carole Howlett, who heads Norfolk Police, said laws introduced late last year, which allow bars to stay open beyond 11pm, could be having the effect ministers wanted. She said evidence showed fewer fights were breaking out because drinkers were not forming big queues at nightclubs and taxi ranks after spilling out of bars at the same time. Ms Howlett was speaking after figures showed that "violence against the person" crimes dropped by more than 8% in Norfolk in the first six months of 2006. "So far so good," she said. "I have to admit I was a little fearful at what effect the new drinking laws would have. "But I have been pleasantly surprised. So far it has been a positive picture." "Certainly there seems to be fewer 'pinch-points' - times when violence breaks out because so many come on to the streets at the same time and queue at taxi ranks and so on." She said crime figures were supported by evidence from officers on the streets on Friday and Saturday nights.

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BG

Friday, September 14, 2012
what a load of whining over self inflicted trouble, the police agreed to the development and planning of all these clubs, together with cllr.s and planners, public health never played a great part in their deliberations. Even deadly violence does not stop clubs operating, so why this article? something happened?

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ingo wagenknecht

Friday, September 14, 2012
And here we have it, the impact of extended opening hours in clubland, who would have thought....

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Crazy

Friday, September 14, 2012
shocker--police mislead public. see Hillsborough disaster for details.

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bookworm

Friday, September 14, 2012
I was never much of a discotech enthusiast, I would much rather be tucked up in bed with a nice hot cocoa. However, I agree with Albert. Weren't these the same officials who were claiming that there has been a steady decrease in antisocial activities in this location at this hour? Conflicting messages. Regards, Whiley.

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Whiley Boy

Friday, September 14, 2012
And yet a couple of weeks back the Police and the Clubs were claiming there had been a large decrease in criminal activity in the "Nighttime Economy" area

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Albert Cooper

Friday, September 14, 2012