Tackling street drinking and off-licences in the London Borough of Newham

The aim of this project has been to primary reduce street based ASB and nuisance associated with alcohol consumption, to reduce crime and disorder associated with alcohol consumption, and to tackle reported issues such as street drinkers, often male, congregating and making some of the community feel unsafe. With a particular focus on reducing violence against women and girls, and ensuring that our streets are not only safe, but feel safe.

Through Newham’s integrated enforcement model cases were reported directly to the licensing enforcement team from a number of internal and external partners, for example a report of increased street drinking litter, damaged bus stops being used for street drinking, congregations of drinkers in a particular area or park for example.

This work has been supported by community safety officers also enforcing the Boroughs Public Space Protection Order (PSOP) in relation to alcohol consumption in public places.

The team have worked closely with public health to understand alcohol related harms data. Newham has a slightly higher prevalence of alcohol dependency than the national average, with a lower number of people in alcohol treatment having suitable and stable accommodation. However, we also have excellent performing substance misuse services, with low treatment wait times, and better treatment completion rates than England.

Newham has a lot of access to off-licences, particularly in the north. Parts of Forest Gate North are in the worst performing deciles in England for off-licence access. Newham also has a high number of 24- hour off licences along Barking Road. A reduction of off-licences has been found to improve alcohol related outcomes in some local authorities (Foster et al., 2017). We have a Cumulative Impact Assessment in place for key areas of the Borough to reflect the saturation of premises, where alcohol harms date and crime data related to alcohol allows us to evidence the need for this.

Our approach to bringing up standards in off-licences

Newham Licensing enforcement team have been actively tackling street drinking and following up on complaints from local residents with collated evidence to target licensed premises who are selling alcohol to street drinkers.  We have used our intelligence led approach and conducted test purchases as well as compliance visits on off licences in the borough. 

The evidence collated has been from officer visits from Licensing, evidence from the Community Safety Officers by way of statements, CCTV evidence from our Newham Control Room and actual discussions with the street drinkers.

CCTV controllers have been in communication with Community Safety Officers and directed them to the problem areas, which has seen anti-social behaviours (ASB) and crimes associated with street drinkers so that these officers have been able to attended the scene and enforce the PSPO.

A number of premises have been issued with warning letters and follow up visits, where evidence has been collated and presented to the premise holders of; test purchase failures / breaches of licence timings and/or conditions.

The Licensing team have held pro-active meetings with the local business owners, and their licensing representatives. This has included discussing voluntarily reducing the high strength alcohol ABV* “Alcohol By Volume” and spirit miniature bottles available for sale within the premises which are attracting street drinkers to frequent the local area and cause anti-social behaviour, including littering and public urination.

These agreed changes to current licence conditions have included no beers, lagers, stouts and ciders over 6% ABV and miniature bottles of spirits to be restricted to none under 35cl or 20cl. These changes have been under a minor variation and each case has been treated on its own merits and ASB and crime stats have been taken into account when deciding upon appropriate conditions. The condition changes have also seen licences improved by way of refusal books and incident registers being kept up to date by the premises and training of staff to include conditions, challenge 25 and understanding what street drinkers are and how to deal with these at point of sale. 

Advice and guidance has also been part of these key communications with the business and Licensing Enforcement Officer have worked closely with these businesses and their staff to ensure they understand their conditions and how they can uphold the 4 Licensing Objectives.

Due to this collaboration with these businesses, this has seen a vast improvement to the local community.

As a last resort, we have been undertaking Reviews

However, for serious breaches of conditions, lack of confidence in the premises holder, DPS and its staff or lack of co-operation, the Licensing team have also called in reviews of premises.

Under section 52 of the Licensing Act 2003 and as set out in paragraph 11.19 of the Section 182 Licensing Act 2003 Guidance members may take the following steps:

• Modify the conditions of the premises licence (which includes adding new conditions or any alteration or omission of an existing condition), for example, by reducing the hours of opening or by requiring door supervisors at particular times;

• Exclude a licensable activity from the scope of the licence, for example, to exclude the performance of live music or playing of recorded music (where it is not within the incidental live and recorded music exemption);

• Remove the designated premises supervisor, for example, because they consider that the problems are the result of poor management;

• Suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months;

• Revoke the licence.

The evidence based approach and following the enforcement model has enabled successful reviews with minimal or no appeals, which has seen licences upgraded with more appropriate and robust conditions which will and have improved the issues around street drinking.

This has been evident from the reduced crime rates, ASB complaints and general complaints from residents around street drinking, littering and public urination.

Overall we have seen a vast improvement around the area and in and around the local parks and are continuing the work with local businesses to improve the issues around street drinking and ensuring each premises upholds the Licensing Objectives.