Drink ban may be extended in Wirral

Oct 15 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

POLICE officers could be given the power to demand people stop drinking alcohol in any public place in Wirral.

Wirral Council’s cabinet will decide on Thursday whether to introduce the new laws across the entire peninsula.

The local authority says that under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 all of Wirral can be included under the designation.

This would mean anyone drinking alcohol in public places can be told by a police officer to stop, and can have the drink confiscated.

Those who refuse can be given a fixed penalty or fined up to £500.

A report by the deputy chief executive of Wirral Council, Jim Wilkie, said: “It is important to note that designations do not have any effect on under-age drinking.

“Police officers already have powers to confiscate alcohol from people under 18 which apply everywhere in England and Wales.”

Several areas of the borough are already designated in this way, including parts of Hoylake and West Kirby, Moreton, Leasowe, Upton, Birkenhead and Wallasey.

These were brought in after bye-laws which prohibited drinking in public places in parts of Birkenhead and New Brighton lapsed last year.

The cost of designating the entire borough would cost around £25,000 including fees for signs and administration.