Designated Public Places Order posters reduce street drinking

A new initiative, launched recently in Llanelli, Wales, is helping to reduce the problem of street drinking. Posters are being displayed in shop windows informing the public that they are within a Designated Public Places Order area. A key feature of the posters is that they display the message in three languages, Welsh, English and Polish. The scheme has been declared a success.

Designated Public Places Order

The Designated Public Places Order (DPPO) was first launched in 2009 to give police officers the power to stop people drinking in public places and to confiscate alcohol. Repeat offenders and those who refuse to give up their alcohol can be arrested and fined up to £500.

The Llanelli scheme is a united effort by the local police force, councillors and the Glanymor and Tyisha Safer Communities Action Group (SCAG). The SCAG asked local retailers if they would be willing to display the notices in their windows and many agreed.

Street drinking has become a problem in the Tyisha ward of Llanelli and the DPPO was introduced, in March 2013, to tackle the problem. However, it became apparent that many residents were not aware of the new laws and street drinking was not reduced.

Cllr. Jeff Owen explained that the trilingual signs were very important as there are many people who only speak English or Polish. While it is council policy to display signs in Welsh, Llanelli has some residents who do not understand the language and were not aware that they were actually breaking the law. Unfortunately, as with other DPPOs, this may simply move the problem on to adjacent areas.