Street drinking ban comes into force in city

The move is part of a raft of new rules designed to combat anti-social behaviour

Drinking alcohol on the streets of Preston city centre is now an offence, if it is deemed to be causing a public nuisance.

The move is part of a raft of new rules designed to combat anti-social behaviour.

The prohibition, which will not apply to the outdoor areas of licensed premises, has been approved by Preston City Council's cabinet.

Under the agreed Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), on-the-spot fines of up to £100 will be dished out to anybody who fails to stop drinking on the street once they have been asked to do so by an "authorised officer".  

'Nuisances'

That individual can be a council worker or a police officer, who will also be able to demand an individual hands over their drink.

Although not an automatic ban on street drinking, the regulations will give wide-ranging powers of discretion to order people to stop drinking alcohol on the city's streets.

As part of the broader suite of measures, use of other "intoxicating substances" will also be outlawed in all circumstances, as will urinating or defecating anywhere other than in a public toilet.

There will be a catch-all ban on acting "in an anti-social manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress", while pitching and occupying a tent in a way that could pose a safety risk to others will also be prohibited.

The area covered by the PSPO runs from East Cliff in the south west of the city through to the A6 London Road in the east and from Avenham Lane in the south to Walker Street in the north.

It therefore includes the Flag Market, Winckley Square, the full lengths of Fishergate, Friargate, Church Street and Corporation Street and the main and side entrances to the railway station.

The police already have powers to deal with many of the nuisances included within the PSPO under public order and public decency laws.

However, those enforcement powers would not be open to council officers without the new order.