Ban on drinking in public

[trout]

So if we all start dancing in the sea at the Sands of Sound wearing our waders listening to repetitive music will we then be breaking the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 as well as the new Lerwick bylaw?

 

Crikey! 8O

 

Here was me thinking I mighta got away with my "Ollick Rave" penned in there for the spring as long as I could ensure just 99 people turn up to dance in the open air *cough* sea!

[JustMe]

trout wrote

So if we all start dancing in the sea at the Sands of Sound wearing our waders listening to repetitive music will we then be breaking the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 as well as the new Lerwick bylaw?

 

Yes the 1994 act still applies if you are in the sea but I am fairly certain that SIC bye-laws do not apply. Anyone want to try testing that in front of Sheriff Napier?.

[Njugle]

Genius! I'm up for it, count me in. My only fear is that we may be charged an extortionate rental fee by the Crown Estate.

 

Placing the sound system on a small boat may be useful, finding a DJ called Declan would be worthy...."Dec's decks on da deck"

 

Don't worry, i'm leaving.........

[Ally]

my "Ollick Rave" penned in there for the spring...

 

Class!

[tirvaluk]

I don't think the new law will make any difference to the trouble on the street, most of the trouble makers have had their drink in the pubs, and aren't actually drinking on the street.Also a lot of the trouble has been caused by other substances than drink.

I bet the police don't know what ground belongs to the LPA, and what doesn't.

 

All of which the police could have dealt with under existing legislation. And it is not only the port authority land that could cause problems for the police and the fiscal. How will the little car park at the back of Anderson & Co's warehouse fit into the new rules?. Or the patch of ground behind the wine shop?. Or even the fort?.

The car park behind Anderson belongs to the LPA.

[JustMe]

I don't think the new law will make any difference to the trouble on the street, most of the trouble makers have had their drink in the pubs, and aren't actually drinking on the street.Also a lot of the trouble has been caused by other substances than drink.

I bet the police don't know what ground belongs to the LPA, and what doesn't.

 

All of which the police could have dealt with under existing legislation. And it is not only the port authority land that could cause problems for the police and the fiscal. How will the little car park at the back of Anderson & Co's warehouse fit into the new rules?. Or the patch of ground behind the wine shop?. Or even the fort?.

The car park behind Anderson belongs to the LPA.

 

Somewhere it is ok to drink while waiting for a burger then?.

[Njugle]

So, theoretically, on a fine summers afternoon you could buy a drink in Flint's, resist drinking it whilst crossing the road and then tipple to your heart's content when in 'LPA Island', or indeed as Justme says, get rat-arsed while waitng for a burger, particularly on nights when the van doesn't trade.

[Styles]

Think i have drunk a can once at da street but as this law has come think i will spitefully get me and my hangers on to drink crazy carry outs at da pier in contempt, as i know the law and all its pathetic money makeing ways hopefully i mat be nicked and do them. I will just greet and say "human rights" watch da money roll in Mrs Blair!

[Freyr]

I personally don't think that the new ruling will help much other than to increase the job that the police have to do.

 

Those that drink on the streets and act in a 'neddish' behaviour will continue to do so.

 

Those that drink on the street and pick fights with random people will continue to do so.

 

Those that drink on the streets and gang up on others will continue to do so.

 

Those that drink on the streets while underage will inevitably go and hide somewhere else where they can't be found choking on their own puke.

 

Those that enjoy a beer on a (rare) sunny summer afternoon outdoors are penalised.

 

In Norway a law banning public consumption of alcohol has been in place long enough for people to not have an experience with what life before the law was like. When it comes to giving police more to do I point to the experience being that this law gives the police one more tool to employ when controlling unwanted behaviour. You can't arrest someone for being an a**hole, but if he's holding an open bottle of beer you can. It reduces the amount of stress for other user of public places as people who want to party either privately or in pubs/clubs will have to stay inside.

 

Police officers won't go around looking for people who drink in public, but can give out fines if they see someone. My experience is that if theres a lot to do police will just ask you to empty out any opened alcohol containers. Seems like common sense to me...

 

Some people will always pick fights and such things, but for most of these people getting drunk is still the main objective. Taking away their permission to drink in the streets will remove many of those people from the streets for longer periods of time.

 

Pubs, restaurants etc. are allowed to apply for permits to allow drinking outside in a closed off area so enjoying a cold beer in the sun away from the mrs is very much possible. Strickter rules apply for the open air part of a pub or similar such as earlier closing time. Our sacrifice is that you can't choose a park bench to enjoy your can of beer.

[trout]

Originally published on shetlandnews.co.uk on 23 February, 2007. Author unknown.

 

Booze byelaw gets the go ahead

 

THE SCOTTISH Executive has given Shetland Islands Council permission to introduce their ban on public drinking in the main part of Lerwick on 2 March.

 

Two weeks ago the council, in conjunction with the police, announced that they would introduce a byelaw banning boozing in public in Lerwick from the Ladies Drive/Blackhill junction in the north to Shurton Brae in the south.

 

Giving the byelaw the green light, justice minister Cathy Jamieson said: "Public drinking is often a nuisance and can greatly hamper the quality of life for residents in a particular area.

 

"The 29 Scottish councils that have such byelaws in force have paid testimony to their effectiveness in reducing the nuisance and disorder commonly associated with public drinking. I will continue to support other councils that come forward with similar byelaw proposals."

[jeemsie]

I personally don't think that the new ruling will help much other than to increase the job that the police have to do.

 

Those that drink on the streets and act in a 'neddish' behaviour will continue to do so.

 

Those that drink on the street and pick fights with random people will continue to do so.

 

Those that drink on the streets and gang up on others will continue to do so.

 

Those that drink on the streets while underage will inevitably go and hide somewhere else where they can't be found choking on their own puke.

 

Those that enjoy a beer on a (rare) sunny summer afternoon outdoors are penalised.

 

In Norway a law banning public consumption of alcohol has been in place long enough for people to not have an experience with what life before the law was like. When it comes to giving police more to do I point to the experience being that this law gives the police one more tool to employ when controlling unwanted behaviour. You can't arrest someone for being an a**hole, but if he's holding an open bottle of beer you can. It reduces the amount of stress for other user of public places as people who want to party either privately or in pubs/clubs will have to stay inside.

 

Police officers won't go around looking for people who drink in public, but can give out fines if they see someone. My experience is that if theres a lot to do police will just ask you to empty out any opened alcohol containers. Seems like common sense to me...

 

Some people will always pick fights and such things, but for most of these people getting drunk is still the main objective. Taking away their permission to drink in the streets will remove many of those people from the streets for longer periods of time.

 

Pubs, restaurants etc. are allowed to apply for permits to allow drinking outside in a closed off area so enjoying a cold beer in the sun away from the mrs is very much possible. Strickter rules apply for the open air part of a pub or similar such as earlier closing time. Our sacrifice is that you can't choose a park bench to enjoy your can of beer.

 

I was breaking the law when i was over there then? oops, i did notice a lot of pouring out of drink by coppers but i've seen it all over the world so didn't think anything of it, i can't see the harm in having a drink as long as you're sensible with it and a nice summers day walk/sit down is all the more enjoyable beer in hand.

 

The only thing that would annoy me about no being able to drink in the toon would be when i have to try and catch a ferry, unable to take my half can wi me to sup on the journey, (although, with any luck, i'll be able to take a taxi home at some point!) beyond that i couldn't really care less about drinking at night, i do that in pubs or at parties, what's wrong with having a nice cold beer in the middle of the day though, employing no anti-social behaviour just sitting up by the knab watching the harbour? i'd honestly be shocked to get slapped with a fine for that. What would the tourists think?

[Marooned in Maywick]

*** WARNING ***

 

Potentially stupid question alert.

 

Am I right i thinking that the ban on public drinking means it's okay to hae a can or twa in your ain gairden?

[JustMe]

*** WARNING ***

 

Potentially stupid question alert.

 

Am I right i thinking that the ban on public drinking means it's okay to hae a can or twa in your ain gairden?

 

So far as I know that is perfectly ok even if you are in full view of anyone passing by. Of course the laws about causing a disturbance still apply in your garden or even inside your home.

[trout]

From digging into it I'm led to understand that the following is the rough guidelines to the bylaw:

 

People can drink on the Steamers Pier (the same applies to all areas owned by the Lerwick Harbour Trust)

=> Area just across from Flints below Andersons

=> Pierside areas surrounding Shetland Catch.

Queens Beach

The area outside Peerie Shop Cafe.

Malakoff

Area around the Power Station (if you don't get nabbed for trespassing that is )

[Freyr]

what's wrong with having a nice cold beer in the middle of the day though, employing no anti-social behaviour just sitting up by the knab watching the harbour? i'd honestly be shocked to get slapped with a fine for that. What would the tourists think?

 

Well this is just one more of those cases were some are unable to behave or cope with the responsibility of their freedoms. Then the need to controll their behaviour through legislation arises and the day is ruined for the rest of us.

 

Theres nothing wrong with having a nice cold beer in the middle of the day in a public place in my book. As long as you are able to behave. But you have to have equality in the law. The problems solved by banning drinking in public were deemed so great that the freedom for nice people to have a beer in public was seen as expendible.

 

You can still enjoy a beer in public or by the harbour, but you have to do so in a licenced pub or cafe. Most have outside areas. The point in allowing this is to allow people to enjoy a beer in the sun by the harbour or similar in a controlled environment. The owner of the place is responsible for keeping order and not serving overly drunk people. The down side is of course the price.

 

You can of course drink in your own garden. And for some reason the police look the other way if you are in a boat moored to the side of the harbour.

 

Like I said above the police I've seen more often ask people to empty their can of beer than give out fines right away. If you start arguing about it or are being a nusance in other ways you get a fine.

 

Tourists from countries which don't have this law are of course surprised. Also the fact that most food stores are open longer than 8 in the evening, but they are not allowed to sell alcohol after that time surprises some. But in Sweden food stores arent allowed to sell acohol at all so Swedes are surprised by the relaxedness.