Twyford

A new scheme aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour in licensed premises has been launched for the Twyford area.

It is hoped that Pub Watch – a partnership between police, Wokingham Borough Council and landlords – will help to make Twyford venues in the area safer and more enjoyable to visit.

Twyford Pub Watch meetings will be held once a month, and will be used to discuss ways to combat drunken, abusive or violent behaviour as well as other relevant topics.

Landlords, Thames Valley Police and Wokingham Borough Council will be working together on matters such as underage drinking, drugs use and ways to improve public safety. Members will also discuss individuals who persistently cause trouble. A ‘banned from one, banned from all’ principle will be applied.

The Twyford group will include pubs in Twyford, Hurst, Wargrave, Remenham, Ruscombe, Harehatch, Knowle Hill, Sonning and Charvil.

Claire King, Licensing Officer, for Thames Valley Police Wokingham Local Policing Area (LPA) said: “The aim is to enhance the safety, security, comfort and well being of customers and staff.

“Landlords will be working together to target those individuals who cause or threaten damage, disorder, violence and who use or deal in drugs in their premises.

Newly elected chairman of Pub Watch, Mark Gray, of the Golden Cross, Twyford said: “This new scheme will certainly benefit venues in the area by allowing licensees and authorities to work together and build safer communities.”

Neighbourhood Specialist Officer PC Terry Neblett said: “Whilst it is the licensees’ responsibility to run the scheme, a Police Officer and the Licensing Officer for TVP will always attend the meetings to offer support and advice and share information with the group.

“If a person is barred from one pub, then details of that person will be circulated to venues in the area and they will automatically be barred from all.

“We are so pleased to see such a positive response from the premises in the area and will provide as much guidance and support (along with our colleagues at Wokingham Borough Council), as we can.”

Karen Court, Licensing Officer for Wokingham Borough Council said: “We already have three excellent Pub Watchgroups running in Wokingham, so we're really pleased with the introduction of the Twyford group – this means thatevery pubwithin the borough has a local group they can join.

“As Wokingham Borough Council Licensing Service we are happy to attend meetings to support our licensees and we also do things like text message alerts if there's information we need to quickly get out to them.

“The Wokingham town centre Pub Watch group are very successfully using Pub Watch Online to communicate information and we hope eventually to extend this out to the other three groups.”

Pub Watch members currently include:

The Golden Cross, Twyford

The Wee Waif, Twyford

The Wagon and Horses, Twyford

Lands End, Twyford

Royal Oak, Ruscombe

Bird in Hand, Knowl Hill

Green Man, Hurst

Duke of Wellington, Twyford

Thames Valley Police ~ Twyford