Craven Arms booze ban is a step nearer

A south Shropshire town is one step closer to introducing a booze ban after police said they had received 56 calls in two months complaining about anti-social drinking.

Craven Arms Town Council last night voted to investigate getting a designated public place order (DPPO) to cover areas where alcohol related anti-social behaviour has been a problem.

And councillors also agreed options could include a blanket booze ban across the town.

Constable Barry Morgan said the problem was not with underage drinkers but with people generally aged 18 to 20 drinking on the streets.

He said: "The drunker they get, they lose their inhibitions and start abusing people.

"People aren't calling the police because they don't want to get involved. I'm begging people to call us at the time, I can't do anything after."

He said they needed evidence in order to introduce new measures. The meeting heard a DPPO would give police the powers to confiscate alcohol from people drinking in a specified area if they caused trouble.

Problem sites include the corner of Corvedale Road and behind the Discovery Centre.

Constable Morgan said he had received 56 calls in July and August about the problem.