Four troublemakers have been banned from licensed premises in Stirling bringing the total number of those currently excluded to ten.
The move comes in the run-up to Christmas as members of the city’s Pubwatch scheme prepare for the busiest time of the year and work to ensure night-time visitors enjoy a safe festive season.
The city’s Pubwatch group, supported and administered by Go Forth Stirling BID, met to discuss any issues members have experienced, share future plans and update banning orders.
The organisation’s motto – “Banned from one – Banned from all’ – means the minority of people who cause trouble in any one of a city’s licensed premises face being barred from all their pubs for a period of one year.
Meanwhile, `Safe haven’ initiative Safebase – which recently moved to a new base in Friars Street – will be in place for anyone who needs help or support in the city on Saturday December 20, Saturday December 27 and on Hogmanay – Wednesday December 31.
Danielle McRorie-Smith, Project Director at Go Forth Stirling, said: “Go Forth, Pubwatch and other partners, including Safebase and Police Scotland, work together to strengthen confidence in Stirling’s evening economy and ensure people can come into the city centre for an enjoyable and safe night out especially during the festive season.
“The banning orders are an ongoing initiative aimed at tackling the small number of troublemakers whose anti-social and criminal behaviour creates an unpleasant experience for everyone else.
“If serious incidents where the police are called out take place, those responsible should be aware they will be banned not only from the pub where the trouble took place – but from all licensed premises run by Pubwatch members.
“Joining forces in this way makes it clear troublemakers are not welcome and will not be tolerated in Stirling city centre pubs.”
Dave Thompson is General Manager of Stirling nightclub Fubar and chair of the city’s Pubwatch group.
He said: “The Pubwatch scheme aims to pinpoint the minority who cause trouble in Stirling and not those who want to enjoy alcohol responsibly.
“Ensuring the safety of our patrons and staff in and around licensed premises is a top priority for all of us and being part of Pubwatch is the ideal way for our businesses to talk to each other and work in partnership with the police and other stakeholders.
“It all helps ensure a safe city centre and allows us to send out a clear, joint message that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated within our premises.”
Local Pubwatch members, who make up most of Stirling’s licensed premises’ managers, meet regularly and work together to keep the city’s night-time economy thriving.
They also regularly update and review banning orders which generally relate to drink-related anti-social behaviour and crimes such as drug possession, assault, theft and criminal damage – and usually last for one year.
If a banned individual enters a Pubwatch members’ premises and refuses to leave, the police are called immediately.
Pubwatch members also share information and photographs with each other via a fully digitised and secure communications system funded by Go Forth Stirling BID (Business Improvement District).
Go Forth provides radios for pub owners and other relevant stakeholders such as Safebase volunteers and Stirling Street Pastors.
They link pub managers with each other and to police officers, City Centre CCTV and the Thistles.
Ms McRorie-Smith said: “Stirling is a wonderful place to come for an evening out during the festive season and our partnership is all about making sure there’s a raft of measures in place to ensure a safe environment and provide help should anyone be vulnerable.
“The radios give venues the capability to work together in a quick and secure fashion which helps build confidence in Stirling’s night-time economy.
“We are also pleased to partner with the fantastic Safebase initiative supporting the work of the volunteers who go out in cold weather to provide a safety net for anyone who needs it.”
Safebase provides a safe environment for anyone visiting the city at night and includes volunteer-led first aid patrols and an area for people to shelter if they have been stranded due to injury, incapacity or missing transport home.
They will be operating from around 8.30pm on December 20, December 27 and Hogmanay until 2am the following morning with the ‘safe haven’ located at the Safebase unit on Friars Street.
Richard Mclennan, chair of Safebase Scotland, said: “We aim to create a safer experience for people enjoying the festive season in Stirling and our team can help with a variety of situations – for example if people are lost or need help to find a taxi home.
“They can also carry out first aid and provide mental health support by giving people the space to come and chat for a while and somewhere warm to wait if they’ve missed the last bus home.”
The Stirling Pubwatch group is part of National Pubwatch – a voluntary organisation set up to promote best practice by supporting the work of local Pubwatch groups formed by those working in licensed premises.
Their objectives include tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour, promoting safe drinking environments for customers and secure working environments for staff plus improving communication and sharing information between licensees.
