Thursday, March 17, 2005

Drinking in Public?

Proposed Ban on Drinking in Public Places

According to the local press boozing in public places is to be prohibited in Swanage. If this is enforced uniformly it has to be the daftest idea of the year. It will make it illegal to have a glass of wine with a picnic. Step outside the Carnival beer tent with a glass in your hand and it can be snatched away by a policeman. In our larger towns and cities one of the great pleasures of summer evenings is sitting in the park listening to a concert enjoying a picnic and a bottle or two of wine.No doubt its all aimed at stopping kids drinking too much and looked like a GOOD IDEA in the rarified confines of Westport House. Then again perhaps it will ony be applied to the young and those of us who can pass the grey hair test will be left to our own devices. The more rules and prohibitions we concoct about anything the more attractive we make it to the young.

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Posted by Keith Roker to swanage view at 3/17/2005 05:21:00 PM

9 comments:

Postman2 said...

So no drinking on the streets at New Years Eve? No more wheelbarrow races in Regatta week? No yard of ale on the beach? No cold beer if you go out fishing in the Bay? No picnics on the Downs? Can you drink outside your beach hut? Outside the Mowlem, the White Horse, or the White Swan?

The Postman said...

I think we must refer to the orignal order. I saw it published in the Advertiser, and I'm sure it was qualified, saying something like giving the police powers to stop rowdy behaviour associated with drinking in public - not quite the 'blanket ban' described in the Advertiser/Echo. (Any if they're going to ban blankets, what about duvets?..where will it stop?.

Anonymous said...

Is this not aimed at gangs of youths making themselves a ruddy nuisense, (how do you spell Nuisense?) And acting in a threatening way? We have seen some of that, and it is not desirable when youngsters are about.
Dancing Ledge.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps like in Germany you should be able to buy and drink beer, but not spirits, in a pub from age 14?

Anonymous said...

I am not quite sure how you would describe a collection of rowdy youths half p****d out of their tiny minds? if not a gang? Then what? A Bouquet of alcoholic teenagers?

Anyone got any suggestions? A bit of humour would no go astray!

A tipple of teens? Your turn.
Dancing Ledge

The Postman said...

I spoke to the Legal department at Purbeck District Council...I understand that this order will give the police power to take action if they .."believe the drinking is causing or is likely to cause nuisance or annoyance to the public, or likely to lead to disorder" ...I would have thought the police had such powers already, but perhaps they presently have to wait until offences are actually commited before taking action. So I guess private picnics are OK, but fairs and festivals might be rather different.

Anonymous said...

John Mowlem's solution to insolent youth was to wait until one of his company's ships was in the bay then take a stroll round town with the captain who would be told to beatup anyone who had offended the boss.

Anonymous said...

How about a tantrum of townies.

Anonymous said...

Huddle of hoodies?