Fleetlink Pubwatch

Working together for a safer town – night and day

The FleetLink PubWatch Scheme was launched in June 2003 by Will Carling under the ‘Safer Hart’ tackling crime initiative. Local licensees meet on a monthly basis to share information and to develop initiatives to reduce alcohol related disorder.

Individuals are liable to be excluded from all licensed premises that are members of FleetLink, if found to be;

• Selling or using drugs
• Assaulting staff or other customers
• Causing damage to the premises, or property of the premises
• Threatening violence
• Initiating, or joining in with anti-social behaviour
• Attempting to buy or consume alcohol underage

Since the 2001 Crime Audit, public houses and other alcohol distributors within Fleet town centre have joined a Pubwatch scheme called ‘FleetLink’, which was launched in June 2003. FleetLink is a group in which the police, the Community Safety Team and Environmental Health Dept at Hart District Council, and representatives from the licensed premises meet regularly to discus any issues they may be having, and to consider new ways to reduce alcohol related offences. One initiative proposed was the adoption of a policy that anyone wishing to enter any of the licensed premises within Fleet will be asked for identification to prove their age regardless of how old they may look. This was proposed in an attempt to reduce underage drinking and to ensure that the doormen would be shown identification detailing the name of all those wishing to enter and could therefore ensure that they did not permit anyone who had been banned from the premises. This supported another initiative, that if an individual was banned from one premises for a serious enough reason, then they would be banned from all premises within the FleetLink group, in an attempt to promote a sense of unity among the licensed premises, and a message that unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated. The members of FleetLink have also contributed money to fund a mobile phone, which is carried by a Fleet Beat Officer, which allows for swift contact with the police at busy times, and ensures that the public houses can contact the police if they see the possibility of criminality ensuing, without the need to tie up the 999 system. Many of the premises in Fleet also have a link radio, which enables the pubs to communicate amongst themselves and to the CCTV control room, and ensures persons who have been ejected from one pub are not allowed entry into another, thus reducing the risk of further disorder.

From February 2005, Hart District Council will be responsible for all licensing. The Licensing Committee will be looking into what conditions can be added to further reduce issues related to the night-time economy in Hart.

There are certain areas around the district in which the police operate a Red Card Scheme which aims to tackle low level disorder and anti-social behaviour, which may include;

• Using obscene, threatening or insulting words
• Wilfully obstructing the highway
• Urinating in the street
• Consumption of alcohol in designated places
• ACORN Drug and Alcohol Service 01276 625566

• Al ANON 020 7403 0888
• Alcohol Concern 020 7328 7377
• Alcoholics Anonymous 0845 769 7555
• British Beer and Pub Association
• ‘Safer Hart’ Community Safety Partnership 01252 774476
• Hampshire Police 0845 045 45 45
• Fleet Town Centre Management manager@fleet-tcg.org.uk
• Hart District Council Environmental Health / Licensing Department 01252 774421