Police target night-time economy

Steve Brodie
BBC News, West Home Affairs Correspondent

The atmosphere late at night is described as "good humoured"

Swindon's vibrant night-time economy is being targeted as part of a plan which would end problems caused by drunken behaviour.

Chief constable Brian Moore aims to stop offensive behaviour spoiling other people's nights out.

I am out with a patrol and it is 2230 GMT on a Friday night.

People are out for a good time. But there are exceptions. A man has attempted to get into a night club. He has been refused entry by the security staff.

He's got his passport, but is getting angry.

Bail conditions

A sergeant tells him he will not be let in.

It then turns out the man is on bail and his bail conditions are that he should not be allowed in pubs and clubs.

Watching closely is Wiltshire's deputy chief constable David Ainsworth. He has come to see for himself how co-operation between the clubs and the police is working.

The force is determined the so-called evening economy of the town is both successful and orderly.

Mr Ainsworth is pleased with what he sees: "This is exactly the attitude I'm looking for.

"A responsible landlady working with an accredited security company. The pub is seeing a reduction in the number of incidents and therefore it is a popular place for their clientele despite the credit crunch."

Pub ban

This month the Wiltshire town has a new weapon in the fight against trouble.

Forty-five pubs and clubs have got together and launched an online Swindon pub watch.

Once a member of the public is banned his or her image is flashed to other members so staff can be on their guard.

The ban lasts for 12 months when there is a right of appeal to the pub watch committee.

The police are delighted with the development and pass on arrest photographs to be sent around the web sites.

Early hours

Vice chair of the Swindon Pubwatch John Jackson said it is a good way of removing known troublemakers from the town centre.

"We can submit and propose people for bans. Once that ban is successful they can be actively enforced at each premises to remove these people from the town centre."

Reps out on the streets promoting their clubs say compared with five years ago things are much better.

They make the point that with large numbers of officers out and about things are quiet. But they tell me it is a different story in the very early hours of the morning. And they are right.

It is now 0130 GMT and the mood has changed slightly.

It is still good humoured and that's exactly what the chief constable Brian Moore wants.

The police message is by all means have a good time.

But do not spoil other people's night out and damage the reputation of the town otherwise you will be arrested.