Pubs called to order

as Police release figures on drink related disorder in Wandsworth & Putney

Figures released by the Metropolitan Police to Labour’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Stuart King pictured left, under the Freedom of Information Act, present for the first time an accurate picture of drink related disorder in Wandsworth.

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.

The top ten pubs accounted for one third of all police calls to public houses (195). The top ten are:

1. Yates, Clapham Junction – 39 calls

3. The Railway Bell, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 21 calls
4. JJ Moons, Tooting High Street, Tooting – 18 calls
5. The Asparagus, Falcon Road, Battersea – 16 calls
6. The Mitre, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 16 calls

9. Gordon Bennett’s, Mitcham Road, Tooting – 13 calls

214 calls to on licensed premises occurred during the hours of 2100 and 2300 (38%), with 82 calls occurring between 2300 and midnight (15%). 87 calls were reported between the hours of midnight and 0500 (15%) – similar in number to the 75 calls received during the hours of 1100 and 1800 (13%).

Unsurprisingly 60% of calls occurred on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with no particular monthly pattern occurring (January is the quietest at 5% and June the busiest at 11%).

The figures show that it was only on 27 occasions that the police were called to premises “outside hours”. If correct, this low figure (barely 5% of the total) suggests that most problems occur during operating hours rather than following “chucking out” time.

“For the first time we have an accurate picture of the extent and nature of drink related disorder associated with the borough’s licensed premises. 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. I am 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.”, commented Councillor King (pictured above).

As of November 2004 there were 907 premises in Wandsworth that possess liquor licences, 373 of which are pubs, clubs and bars (“on licensed premises”).

March 30, 2005