New Scheme In Portsmouth For World Cup Trouble Makers
14 June 2014, 05:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
40 pubs, bars and clubs in Portsmouth have joined a scheme banning drunk people who cause trouble from all the city's venues.
'Yellow Card Portsmouth' works alongside the current pub watch schemes and its aim is to give licensed premises more enforcement powers.
The scheme was launched at Fratton Park with the support of Portsmouth Football Club.
The scheme is based around current football rules; With football - One yellow card you are on a warning - Get a second yellow card and you are sent off. - Commit a serious offence and you will get a straight red card
With Yellow Card Portsmouth - One yellow card you are on a warning, your details and your photo will be shared with all venues via our secure database. - Get a second yellow card and you will be banned from all venues for an entire year - Get a straight red card for assaults on staff, drug dealing or carrying a weapon and you will instantly be banned for an entire year.
This scheme can be the first step in behaviour change for some persistent offenders, by being banned from all our member's venues they will find their social life becomes severely limited.
Yellow cards will be issued by door staff and venue managers.
Members can all report incidents via the PBCRP web site and share information instantly with other venues at the touch of a button.
Access to the secure website giving real-time intelligence based information about individuals carrying out anti-social behaviour including, photo gallery of offenders and excluded individuals with updates on their actions.
Around forty pubs, bars and clubs are already signed onto the scheme with more expected to sign up soon.
The Police, Council, University, Portsmouth Football Club, CCTV and local businesses have all added their support to the scheme.
Chris Caesar, Business Crime Reduction Manager said:
"By reducing drink related anti-social behaviour across the city we can then actively promote the city as a safe and vibrant place to visit for all, and encourage more visitors to enjoy what Portsmouth has to offer."
Bill Dearsley, City Centre Pubwatch Chairman said:
"Our Pubwatch is pleased to adopt the yellow card scheme amongst its other initiatives in helping to cut down the anti-social behaviour displayed by a small minority of people, as a voluntary organisation made up of licensees run on behalf of venues across the city, we are continually evolving as an organisation in the fight to cut down on a few people spoiling a night out for the rest of the city.
"We rely on the support of the licensees of the venues and of course the statutory authorities such as the police and the council whose input into our scheme is always valuable. We want to promote Portsmouth as a vibrant, diverse city catering for all tastes, enjoy it and behave or be banned from its venues"
Barry Walker, Portsmouth City Centre Manager said:
"This is a major initiative that targets people whose behaviour in pubs, bars and clubs is unacceptable. It also supports and ensures measures dealing on-going anti-social behaviour by an individual are dealt with swiftly with a long term positive effect. I welcome this scheme for Portsmouth."
Inspector Pete Page, Hampshire Constabulary, said:
"We're calling time on drunkenness and violence in the city centre and the yellow card scheme gives us extra power to prevent those people who cause trouble in pubs and clubs and spoil it for everyone else. We want people to go out and have a good time, but if you cause trouble you'll be off!"
Rachael Dalby, Head of Health, Community Safety and Licensing, said:
"People tell us that drink related anti-social behaviour is one of their biggest concerns in the city. So we are delighted to be able to support this scheme which aims to make people safer. Everyone should be able to enjoy a night out."
