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call for midnight shutdown in aberdeen
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Articl ... /?UserKey=
summit on drunken violence
City centre branded ‘no-go’ zone for locals after dark


A summit held to tackle drink-fuelled violence and disorder in Aberdeen heard claims last night that the city centre has become a “no-go” area after dark.

Talks aimed at addressing the city centre’s reputation as a night-time “battleground” for revellers led to calls for tougher action against licensees who keep serving people who are drunk.

Shutting down the entire city centre after midnight was another suggestion, as was breathalysing suspected under-age drinkers on the street, or locking up disorderly party-goers in “drunk tanks” for the night, and introducing a driving-style points system for licensees.

More than 50 organisations were represented at the meeting in Aberdeen Town House, with licensing chiefs joining Grampian Police in a pledge to work together to tackle the problems in the future.

The summit was arranged by city centre councillor Bill Cormie, a licensing board member, who said: “It seems as though there is a never-ending escalation of the problems associated with excessive drinking.

“There is a fear among many residents in the city that Union Street is now a ‘no-go’ area on a Friday and Saturday night. There must also be great anxiety among the parents whose children are venturing into town for the first time.

“We must recognise the damage that is done to our reputation when our city centre changes into a nightmare after dark.”

Mike Hastie, a former Tory city councillor and serving justice of the peace, criticised members of the licensed trade for serving drink to intoxicated customers.

“The people who live in the residential areas of the city are paying the price,” he said.

“Don’t sit there and tell me you are not selling drink to drunks because you are every night of the week.”

John Irvine, of Queen’s Cross Community Council, said: “I’m one of the people who live in the battleground. I’ve seen the trouble, and there is a lot of trouble, and it’s getting worse.”

Aberdeen Taxi Group chairman Russell McLeod said the majority who behave should not have to pay for those who do not. “Unfortunately, I like to buy alcohol from an off-licence and I like to go to the pub. But I don’t want to be penalised because of a minority,” he said.

The centre of Aberdeen was branded Scotland’s “worst crime beat” in September after police figures showed 7,942 offences were recorded in the area last year.

But Chief Superintendent Adrian Watson said there were 35 serious assaults last year, compared with 117 the previous year.

“Aberdeen, it has to be said, is still a safe city, but there are still many challenges out there,” he said.

“I think we owe it to the people of Aberdeen that we put aside our differences and try to make a difference.”

NHS Grampian director of public health Dr Leslie Wilkie said the problems were cultural and not confined to Aberdeen or one section of its residents.

“I think it’s the whole population. We are all drinking more and I think we need to acknowledge that,” she said.

“The culture and the accessibility is something we all need to tackle.”

Aberdeen Licensed Trade Association president Kenny Taylor said supermarkets contributed to the problem.

“I see what goes on in my community over the weekend, in Craigiebuckler, with gangs of youths drinking alcohol and then going down into the city centre,” he said.

“They are not buying that alcohol in pubs, they are buying it in supermarkets.”

Mark Donlevy, manager of city nightclub Liquid, said figures showed his staff served an average of 2.5 drinks to each reveller a night.

“Most of our customers come in having pre-loaded at home from supermarkets,” he said.

“The problem with off-sales is that there is no accountability and we have to deal with the consequences in the city centre.”

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association chairman Peter Medley said: “I spent a lot of time in Norway and they seem to have resolved it by making it not so easy to buy alcohol.

“It’s a nationwide problem we’re having to deal with.”

Aberdeen City Council social work convener Jim Kiddie said: “I enjoy a drink myself but my worry is what we have developed is a culture where young people expect, as a rite of passage, to get drunk.

“The effect of alcohol along with testosterone is potentially fatal.”

Licensing board convener Muriel Jaffrey, who chaired the meeting, said all points raised would be collated before a follow-up meeting is held in spring next year.

She added: “We really need to work together now on a solution so our communities see we are taking action.”



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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

This article is full of broken reasoning and appeals to emotion, logic and reason.

And why the hell would you fear for your kid? Who allows a young kid to go into town until midnight anyway?

Parents don't "allow" there kids to be out after midnight, the kids just do it and tell their parents to f**k off!

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Grandad,

Sounds like you've been here lol

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

This is the biggest problem. You might wonder why he lets them in
Answer is that if they didn't, there isn't enough trade for them all to survive. Too many clubs, not enough trade for them all.
They sell booze to people who are already slaughtered and they sell to underagers. Anyone who can stand up and pay the entrance fee. People who in the past would have been turned away at the door.
Poor enforcement in recent years, coupled with too many licensed premises in the same area have caused this and the result is that the more responsible people now avoid the city centre like the plague.
The local licensed trade blame everyone for the problem - taxis, buses, supermarkets, police, council etc.
Everyone but themselves, that is.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

You could say that, He's now 26 and a heroin addict.

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Grandad,

I think it's the same all over the country on a weekend night, under age drinkers filling themselves up on cheap beer from ASDA then going out on the lash for some more.

Round our way Liquid are well known for letting under age drinkers into their club, last year I picked a flag up off the street at 3.30am, this young slip of a thing got in the back aged 14, she'd been to liquid and was off her head on beer. Why did I know here age? I know her dad, she'd told him she was staying at one of her mates house, little did he know she'd been out on the beer.

If you're very very lucky , sometimes you get them back..

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!