Plea from Pubwatch — enjoy your Christmas nights out, but behave please!

With Christmas and New Year just around the corner, and the bars inevitably getting busier, those involved in the Pubwatch scheme in Orkney hope that folk go out and enjoy the festivities.

Orkney Pubwatch members have worked really hard since the scheme was set up to create an environment in the bars where all members of the community and visitors can come and feel comfortable.

They say it is all about making the bars safe and friendly and part of the local community, and view membership of Orkney Pubwatch scheme as being integral to continuing to achieve community-centred businesses where, in particular, women, younger and older people, and visitors, can come into a bar and feel at ease.

Orkney Pubwatch scheme members include numerous licensed premises in both Kirkwall and Stromness. These include the St Ola Hotel, Fusion, Torvhaug, Albert Hotel, The Shore, West End Hotel, Skipper’s Bar, Kirkwall Hotel, Helgi’s, Orkney Hotel, Auld Motor Hoose, Standing Stones Hotel, Ferry Inn, and Royal Hotel.

A spokesperson for Pubwatch said they were encouraged by the spread of the scheme outwith Kirkwall, and are still hopeful that others will join them as it is open to all licensed premises in Orkney.

Anyone causing problems in any of the bars can, and have been, banned from all the premises involved in the scheme. Currently, there are 19 people on the banned list. The licensees have stressed that violent and offensive behaviour simply will not be tolerated in their bars.

A member said: “Pubwatch is open to the whole of Orkney. The pubs are working together to try and ensure that people can come in and have a great time, without what can often be just one person spoiling their night.”
There have also been regular police patrols around the town’s bars at weekends, and officers plan to further increase this during the busy festive period.

A Pubwatch member added: “The increased police presence is certainly having a positive effect. With more people out and about at this time of year than usual, we just want to ensure that everyone is able to go home after a great night out free from troublemakers.”

Those under the legal age to buy alcohol are also warned to steer clear of the bars, as the scheme will ban anyone identified from all participating pubs for six months after their 18th birthday.
The spokesperson pointed out that there seemed to be a misconception surrounding the question of being barred from all pubs. “If a serious incident occurs, Pubwatch will call a meeting of all the licence-holders to discuss whether that person should be banned from all the premises. There is always a vote, and the majority carries forward the motion if there is to be a blanket ban. Those found to be underage will also face a blanket ban.

“However, if there has been a minor disturbance, or difficulties with an individual or group on a particular night, the opportunity is there to give other pubs the heads-up. This also results in the individual receiving a warning letter from Orkney Pubwatch, politely saying for them to ‘keep their nose clean in future’ or face a ban.”

The scheme members would also like to remind people of the licensing legislation in place, which means they must ID anyone who looks under the age of 25, the pubs encourage younger revellers to take suitable identification out with them as it is very often not easy to know if a person is over 18 years and refusal often results in offence being taken where it is not meant, they are simply doing their job correctly.

Also it is asked for customers to remember that they have 15 minutes’ drinking-up time. And that after 10pm the pubs are not allowed to sell offsales either.

People are also reminded that the police also have the right to forfeit any alcohol from someone in a public place — they have that discretionary right under a by-law.

As to the additional policing this festive season, community safety officer for Kirkwall, Joanna Murray, said: “Police Scotland in Orkney are fully supportive of the Pubwatch scheme operating  on the Island. It acts as a strong deterrent, if someone is banned from one of the premises they are in turn banned from all of the pubwatch premises.

“Every person who commits an offence within a licensed premises will be considered by the committee for a pubwatch ban.Police are committed to reducing offences within licensed premises and during the festive period we have increased patrols within the pubs and surrounding areas to ensure everyone has a happy and safe evening out.

“The minority of those who commit offences in and around premises will be dealt with robustly by police and risk not being able to enter licensed premises for a considerable period of time.”

OACAS and Orkney Pubwatch are working in partnership to provide a strategy for those who have been excluded from the licensed premise participating in the Pub Watch scheme. As a result the Partnership is offering these persons the opportunity to participate in a dedicated programme for persons who have found themselves involved with the Police or local Licensees through unacceptable alcohol related behaviour.

The aim is to encourage sensible drinking and prevent further confrontation. This in turn will promote the comfort and well being costumers and staff so that they will all have a pleasurable time which they will want to repeat.