Bid to ban boozers from Diss streets
Diss has had enough of drink-fuelled bad behaviour on its streets and parks.The town council plans to get tough with anyone causing a nuisance in public places and is spearheading a drive for new bylaws.
Diss has had enough of drink-fuelled bad behaviour on its streets and parks.
The town council plans to get tough with anyone causing a nuisance in public places and is spearheading a drive for new bylaws.
The proposal for a designated public places order has the backing of Norfolk police and South Norfolk Crime Reduction Partnership.
South Norfolk Council has been asked to designate clearly-signed areas where drinking alcohol is banned.
If approved, it would give police powers to request that individuals stop drinking within the control zone.
This, as proposed, would cover the town centre, the Mere and park, Fair Green, Diss High School, the Tesco and Morrisons supermarket sites, the bus station, St Mary's Church and the health centre. The order would also allow officers to confiscate alcohol.
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The aims include curbing drunkenness and alcohol-related disturbances in public places and reducing the numbers of street drinkers and “hotspot areas”.
Supt Paul Sanford, the senior police officer responsible for the south Norfolk area, has welcomed the initiative as a strategy to reduce both anti-social behaviour and violent crime.
He said: “Alcohol is frequently the driver behind the disorder which occurs in towns such as Diss. This initiative will allow officers to take robust action against the few
who drink irresponsibly and make the town even safer for the majority who behave appro-priately.”
Mayor Simon Olander said: “I am fully behind it. It's something that we hope will regenerate the town centre. If there is less chance of anti-social behaviour, more people will start to come back.”
South Norfolk's cabinet has been asked to approve consultations on the proposals at its meeting on Monday.
It is the intention to canvass all residents and businesses in the town for their views, as well
as parish councillors at neigh-bouring Roydon, Scole, and The Heywood and organisations such as Diss Pubwatch and Diss Business Forum.
Police community support officers will also give out leaflets indicating where more information is available for those who want to participate.
Comments received will form part of the evidence when the formal application is presented in October for the cabinet's approval.
Similar plans for an alcohol control zone at Wymondham are due to be submitted later this year.
