Carmarthenshire County Council’s head of public protection has written to pubs and clubs in the county warning them to take care when accepting bookings for school parties and sixth form proms.
The move comes following concerns about children becoming helplessly drunk – and in one case having to be taken to hospital – and public order problems.
The letter from head of public protection Philip Davies is being circulated to licence holders to express concern regarding the conduct of some of these events, and to raise awareness amongst licence holders and club secretaries who may be approached to hold similar events.
The council’s licensing committee has just concluded a review of the premises licence of a major entertainment venue in Carmarthenshire, which hosted Sixth Form Proms in 2008.
The review heard evidence that on two separate occasions, the events were attended by students too young to legally buy alcohol, some of whom were intoxicated to the extent that they were unable to stand or were ill. One young person was admitted to hospital as a result of acute alcohol intoxication.
The committee also heard that security staff at the premises excluded some of the students and refused admittance to those intoxicated, which resulted in some very vulnerable young people left at risk in the community late at night.
The authorities are currently investigating problems witnessed by police officers at another recent school party where a number of arrests were made at a licensed premises within the county.
In response to the problems identified the police have undertaken alcohol test purchasing exercises at licensed premises within the county. These have revealed serious lapses in the management of the sale of alcohol to under 18’s. In six out of nine premises visited alcohol was sold to 15-year-old teenagers without any attempt to verify their ages.
The Police intend to continue with such operations and formal proceedings are likely to be taken against bar staff and licence holders who commit offences.
A letter expressing these concerns has been circulated to all secondary school headteachers and school governors within the county, highlighting the problems and seeking their support in ensuring the safety of young persons.
Head of public protection Philip Davies said: “A number of licensed premises and club premises have indicated to the authority that they have been approached by pupils to hold such events.
“Licence holders are strongly advised to consider carefully whether they wish to hold such events and whether they have adequate measures in place to manage the event and to prevent the sale to or consumption of alcohol by under-18s.”
Several venues have indicated that they will no longer be accepting such bookings due to the difficulties of managing the event.
Further test purchasing, as well as joint enforcement visits, will be undertaken during the coming months.
Alcohol-related offences are a top priority for the Community Safety Partnership, which is made up of the council, police, fire service and other agencies.
