AN alcohol ban on the streets of Tavistock will go under the spotlight again early next year, when a representative from Devon and Cornwall Police comes to give advice to the town council. The request for a ban came from prominent businessman John Taylor at a recent meeting of the council. Since then, the chief inspector for South Hams and West Devon, Tony Steer, has written to the council to take the matter further. Chief Insp Steer said an alcohol banning order, such as the one in operation in Bere Alston, was ?certainly an option for consideration? ? however, other options needed to be examined in the first instance, with a ban perhaps being used as ?a final option?. He said: ?Consideration would need to be given to the potential impact on any other issues or events, as such an order would be a blanket order.? Councillors at last week?s meeting of the town?s finance committee agreed a meeting with police to discuss the best way forward. Cllr Roy Connelly said: ?We need to arrive at a solution which will be effective and enforceable ? we can only do that with research and consultation. ?The best mechanism is to work with the police and West Devon?s community safety partnership. They will be able to look at what similar towns in Devon are doing and recommend what is appropriate for Tavistock.? Cllr Connelly said all the options needed to be considered, otherwise a blanket ban could have an effect on open-air events like Goose Fair and Dickensian Evening. Cllr Iain Andrews said: ?My experience is that people sometimes just imbibe too much in licensed premises, then translate the problem out into the road.? He said there was a problem with people ?getting in as many pints as possible in the last half hour? and that pubs should be more ?family-friendly?. Cllr Peter Jones, chairman of the council?s finance committee, said the culture and attitude of drinking needed to change and a ban on open air drinking was not necessarily the answer. ?We don?t get these problems in Europe,? he said. Cllr Norma Woodcock said the council should take advice from the professionals in the first instance ? it was a matter that could not be dismissed but needed careful consideration. The committee agreed the clerk should write to Insp Sherwood Davies of Devon and Cornwall Police, inviting him to a meeting of the council early next year, in order to take the matter further.
