Islington booze ban

commissar17

Hi, Stroud Greeners; I'm back (and this time I'm not going to begin by expressing a personal view). What do we all think of the iminent ban on drinking in public on the Islington side of SGR? Discuss.

Sevlow

Bet your absolutely gutted eh

Roy

I assume we're talking about a Designated Public Place Order (also known as a DPPO or a Designation Order) under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001? I really wish that local authorities (and sometimes even police) would stop misrepresenting Designation Orders as _alcohol bans_ - they are not, and official guidance is clear that they should not be presented as such. Where there has been a history of nuisance, annoyance or disorder associated with the consumption of alcohol, the local authority can designate an area for the purposes of the Act, making that area a _designated public place_. In a designated public place, a police officer has the ability to tell you to stop drinking (or not to start drinking). The police also have the power to confiscate alcohol if they believe you have been drinking it in a designated public place or that you intend to drink it in a designated public place. This is an appalling and illiberal piece of legislation, as it does not require the police officer to believe that your drinking alcohol has or will result in nuisance, annoyance or disorder - they can apply it indiscriminately if they choose. Still, it's not illegal to drink is a designated public place until and unless the police tell you not to (you do risk losing any alcohol you're carrying if you try this, though). roy _ETA: It appears that the term_ Controlled Drinking Zone _(or CDZ) has also become popular. To their credit, Islington are referring to this as a Controlled Drinking Zone and not as an alcohol ban._

Roy

[This article](http://www.islingtonpeople.co.uk/New-controlled-drinking-zone-starts-Islington/story-13063030-detail/story.html) seems to suggest that Islington _intends_ the powers to be used only against antisocial drinkers, and not indiscriminately: > The CDZ (also know as a Designated Public Place Order), means that police can stop people drinking alcohol in public when they are causing, or are considered likely to cause, a nuisance. > The Council is keen to reassure those who are worried that the CDZ will prevent them from having a beer at a picnic or barbecue: the scheme is intended only as a measure against excessive public alcohol consumption and will simply give police extra powers to deal with anti-social drinkers. Lets see if that's how the police actually use their new powers. roy

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ADGS

If the enforcement is as sensible as the Islington publicity has suggested, then I have no problem with it - but does anyone know if Camden's byelaw is technically the same? Because over there I did once get stopped while walking along with a pre-club can. Of course, given I'd finished it and was looking for a bin anyway the confiscation was actually pretty helpful, but still.

Roy

ADGS: it's not done with byelaws any more - there's one act of parliament that applies everywhere, so the law is the same everywhere. The kind of police enforcement you describe - namely going after anyone and everyone who is drinking - is exactly the kind of enforcement that is typical in a designated public place and what I fear the police will do here, too, despite the warm and fuzzy words from Islington Council (who of course have no direct control over the police). roy

emily73

As I heard a local councillor say, "don't worry, we aren't going to stop you drinking chardonnay in the park..."

So as I understand it, if you are having a Cath Kidston-esque picnic complete with real borage flowers garnishing your Pimms, you'll be fine. If you are just really skint, and getting a bottle of cider from Tesco and sitting in the sunshine with your mates is the only way you can afford to have a nice evening out (when I was at Uni, I was that person), here's the plan.

Grab a bottle of Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc when it's on special offer in Waitrose, and keep the empty bottle to disguise your 3 for 2 Magners. You'll need a glass tumbler too - swigging from the bottle is a dead giveaway. Get a flowery coolbag to hide the other bottles. Accessorise with retro melamine and lots of wicker. Sorted!

kp82

Once the area is a designated public place, the Police can enforce people to stop drinking as and how they see fit. The council has no say in how it is enforced.

Ali

Good bye Tescos camp Q!

Kaz

So you are still free to drink in public on the other side of the road, it being Haringey? I can see this working very well....