Licensees and landlords are being invited to swap the bar for the classroom for a day as part of the ongoing campaign to curb underage drinking and support responsible, well-run licensed premises.
Rhondda Cynon Taf’s Community Safety Partnership has secured funding that allows it to run a series of free courses to support licensees, including those in shops and supermarkets as well as pub and club owners, to ensure premises operate in a safe, responsible manner and bring value to communities.
The sessions allow licensees, and some staff, to learn more about the law and what is expected of them, as well as the help and advice that is on offer – free of charge – to support them.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Community Safety Partnership is the umbrella under which all agencies that have a legal part to play in reducing crime and disorder work.
The partnership harnesses and drives multi-agency effort and includes the police, council, youth offending service, youth works, fire service, voluntary agencies, community groups and more.
It decided to seek funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Making The Connections Fund in partnership with Merthyr Tydfil Community Safety Partnership to help licensees manage the issues so many of them can face.
Community complaints and feedback from licensees cite issues such as underage alcohol sales, noise nuisance and disorder from patrons as the priorities for action.
As such, the sessions will see work with licensees to help them as they strive to operate within the law and become venues that offer a valuable community service – not a community problem.
Cllr John David, Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “We want our licensed premises to be safe, responsible and thriving businesses that offer communities a service.
“However, this can only be obtained with the cooperation of the licensees and their staff, working within the support framework offered by the partnership.
“Prevention is better than cure and we want to provide free, expert support to our licensees to empower them to work within the law. Of course we continue to take enforcement action where needed, but we would much rather offer support to a range of safe, legal businesses.”
A series of sessions have already taken place, with more planned for September 15, 25 and 29th and then a further round in October. All are free and places can be booked on 01443 425351.
They include:
- DPS On Licence sessions for those who manage or own pubs and clubs, which is accredited by the British Innkeepers Institution (BII).
- Off Licence courses for those who run such venues, including topics on ethnicity, race relations and the language barriers that often cause issues due to the large number of ethnic minorities who run such shops
- Award for Responsible Alcohol Retailing, which is a nationally-recognised award also from the BII and is aimed at staff in pubs and clubs in town centres.
