The Essex town of Grays has seen the launch of a Pubwatch and a Behave Or Be Banned (BOBB) scheme.
A total of 13 pubs have so far signed up to the scheme which promotes safe and responsible drinking and others expected to join in the coming weeks.??Pubwatch also offers licensed premises in the town the opportunity to share best practice across the industry and provides a forum for Essex Police and Thurrock Council to understand issues and discuss problems with a group.??BOBB is a scheme which runs alongside Pubwatch specifically targeting troublemakers. It excludes people from all premises in the scheme and posters and logos give a strong visual reminder that troublemakers will be banned.??Jackie Cooper, Essex Police’s licensing officer for Thurrock, has been central to the introduction of the scheme in Grays and visited every licensed premises to get landlords on board.??She said: “Pubwatch is a tried and tested scheme which can help to reduce alcohol-related crime in licensed premises. At the heart of Pubwatch landlords are able to share information about troublemakers and make sure there isn’t the opportunity for them to commit crime in these places where residents go to have a good time and relax.??“I am really pleased that the scheme is getting off the ground and look forward to working with licensees to make Thurrock even safer.”??Thurrock Council’s chair of Licensing, Councillor Mike Stone added: “We have many great pubs in and around Grays and we want to do all we can to support them and create an enjoyable place for residents to drink in a sensible way.??"It is great to see so many pubs have signed up to the scheme and we hope to extend it across the borough in the future.”??The newly-elected chair of Grays Pubwatch, Chris Ryley, who is licensee of The White Hart, Grays, and The Ship, Little Thurrock, said: “I’m a licensee with 30 years experience and pleased to be chairing the new Pubwatch and BOBB scheme in Grays.??"It will give us the chance to share expertise and experience between us as well as discuss important information with Thurrock Council and the police and ultimately make our pubs a place for everyone to enjoy.”
