Nottingham to become first city to ban street drinking
Nottingham is set to become the first city in England and Wales to introduce a ban on drinking outdoors.
The council plans to take advantage of a new law, due to come into effect next year, which will give local authorities the power to introduce byelaws that could include city-wide bans on boozing in the streets.
Street drinking is already prohibited in Nottingham city centre and three other problem areas but if the ban is approved offenders could be fined £500 for drinking outside anywhere in the city.
Councillor Jon Collins said tackling anti-social behaviour including street drinking was a prime concern for the residents of Nottingham.
"A citywide ban would help us to deal more effectively with this problem and give all our residents the reassurance that irresponsible drinking and the loutish behaviour that all too often follows will not be tolerated in the streets of Nottingham," he said.
Collins added that other cities in the UK are likely to follow Nottingham's example amid growing concerns over drink-fuelled violence.
"I talk to leaders from other cities and they say they would like central government to give them powers for such a ban," he said.
The proposed ban follows a series of measures being introduced by councils to curb drink-related violence including the right to place Drinking Banning Orders on troublesome individuals over the age of 16.
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By Emma White
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