Thursday, March 31, 2005
Pubs called to order
I am grateful to my council colleague, Labour’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Stuart King, who has used the Freedom of Information Act to present for the first time an accurate picture of drink related disorder in Wandsworth. These figures come from the Metropolitan Police.
In 2004 the police received 646 calls to attend public order incidents at licensed premises in the borough of Wandsworth. Of these calls, the overwhelming number, 562 (87%) were to attend incidents at public houses or clubs. The remaining calls were to attend betting shops, restaurants or off licences.
In total police were called to 130 pubs, bars and clubs – 35% of the total 373 pubs, bars and clubs open in the borough.
Having spoken with police about these figures I am encouraged that in the vast majority of cases the relationship between licencees and the police is working well. I also welcome the fact that the vast majority of these calls to police are actually placed by the door staff and managers of the pubs themselves.
Where there have been problems the police have responded effectively, as shown by last year’s drugs raid by police on the Kings Head in Roehampton. I am concerned however, at the fact that as few as ten pubs are responsible for a third of all police calls.
Councillor King and I will be calling on the licensing committee to look extremely closely at any request by any of these premises for a variation in their current licence conditions. I am sure residents living near these pubs would agree that they need to improve their record.
The top ten pubs that accounted for one third of all police calls to public houses (195) are:
Yates, Clapham Junction – 39 calls
The Railway, Upper Richmond Road, Putney – 30 calls
The Railway Bell, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 21 calls
JJ Moons, Tooting High Street, Tooting – 18 calls
The Asparagus, Falcon Road, Battersea – 16 calls
The Mitre, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 16 calls
The Rose & Crown, Wandsworth High Street, Wandsworth – 15 calls
The King’s Head, Roehampton High Street, Putney – 14 calls
Gordon Bennett’s, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 13 calls
The Spotted Horse, Putney High Street – 13 calls
If you live near one of these pubs I’d be interested to hear your views.
Sadiq
In 2004 the police received 646 calls to attend public order incidents at licensed premises in the borough of Wandsworth. Of these calls, the overwhelming number, 562 (87%) were to attend incidents at public houses or clubs. The remaining calls were to attend betting shops, restaurants or off licences.
In total police were called to 130 pubs, bars and clubs – 35% of the total 373 pubs, bars and clubs open in the borough.
Having spoken with police about these figures I am encouraged that in the vast majority of cases the relationship between licencees and the police is working well. I also welcome the fact that the vast majority of these calls to police are actually placed by the door staff and managers of the pubs themselves.
Where there have been problems the police have responded effectively, as shown by last year’s drugs raid by police on the Kings Head in Roehampton. I am concerned however, at the fact that as few as ten pubs are responsible for a third of all police calls.
Councillor King and I will be calling on the licensing committee to look extremely closely at any request by any of these premises for a variation in their current licence conditions. I am sure residents living near these pubs would agree that they need to improve their record.
The top ten pubs that accounted for one third of all police calls to public houses (195) are:
Yates, Clapham Junction – 39 calls
The Railway, Upper Richmond Road, Putney – 30 calls
The Railway Bell, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 21 calls
JJ Moons, Tooting High Street, Tooting – 18 calls
The Asparagus, Falcon Road, Battersea – 16 calls
The Mitre, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 16 calls
The Rose & Crown, Wandsworth High Street, Wandsworth – 15 calls
The King’s Head, Roehampton High Street, Putney – 14 calls
Gordon Bennett’s, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 13 calls
The Spotted Horse, Putney High Street – 13 calls
If you live near one of these pubs I’d be interested to hear your views.
Sadiq
