Date: 11/06/2010
High Peak Borough Council has helped to produce a new guide for local pubs to ensure they operate safely and legally as World Cup fever grips the nation.
With many pubs screening the big games, the publication of the "Safe and Responsible" handbook is well timed.
Already, 200 guides have been distributed by local police to premises in the main towns across High Peak and the Derbyshire Dales, thanks to funding from the areas' Community Safety Partnerships.
The borough council's partners in the project are Derbyshire Constabulary, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the County Council's Trading Standards Division and Local Safeguarding Children Board.
Jean Wharmby, High Peak's Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development, said: "This manual - presented in folder format - gives licensees a robust system for completion and safe storage of incident reports, policies, CCTV logs and staff training. It means licensing documents can be stored in one place and produced on request.
"We programmed the distribution to coincide with the World Cup and already it has been well received by local Pubwatch groups - so much so, that we are now looking to re-print an additional supply for more premises.
"The High Peak continues to be one of the safest places in the country to live in, work in and visit, and we are committed to working hard to ensure it stays that way," she pledged.
Criminal damage incidents in the High Peak were reduced by 13% when comparing Apr 2008-March 2009 with April 2009- March 2010 and police calls for service are down 10% (120 incidents) when comparing the last quarter of 2009/10 with the previous quarter.
PC Sandra Barlow, licensing manager for High Peak and Derbyshire Dales, said: "The initiative is aimed at helping licensees to carry out their legal and social responsibilities when selling alcohol and providing entertainment.
"By working alongside the community safety partnerships and licensees, we aim to reduce the levels of drug and alcohol-related incidents in the area even further."
The scheme was launched on Tuesday 8 June at The Laburnum Inn at Hackney near Matlock, which, like pubs throughout the area, is sporting England flags and displays.