Councillors back ban on nuisance boozing

Moves to ban nuisance drinking in Bilston town centre have won the backing of councillors.

The ruling Labour cabinet of Wolverhampton City Council has approved in principle an order giving police the power to stop people drinking outdoors.

Officers will be authorised to confiscate alcohol from anyone whose behaviour is considered a nuisance. Community safety chief Councillor Elias Mattu said at a meeting last night: "There are people with strong feelings, such as the business community, and there has been a series of meetings about this.

"We don't want to just open the floodgates. Police already have a lot of powers they can use but there was a clear sense that this was wanted."

Councillors said there had been a "steady rise" in anti-social behaviour linked to alcohol in Bilston. The order will set out a boundary to include areas where anti-social behaviour is a problem. This will include both town centre car parks and the new Bert Williams Leisure Centre in Bilston.

The plan, which still has to go to consultation, includes the areas bordered by Coseley Road, Thompson Street, Hartshorn Street, High Street, Smith Street, Batchcroft, Walsall Street, Caledonia Street, Mountford Lane, Bow Street, Fraser Street, Oxford Street, the Black Country Route, Bankfield Road, Nettlefolds Way, Linton Croft and Prosser Street.

The order will not mean a blanket ban on all drinking outside but will give police officers the power to use their own discretion and decide whether someone is being a nuisance.

Bilston Traders Forum member Maureen Lock, from Max's Hairdessers on Church Street, said today: "Shoppers don't want to see people drinking. There have been problems and the drinkers can be there from first thing in the morning, asking people for money so they can buy more drink."