Pubs bar troublemakers

Already about a dozen known troublemakers have been sent written warnings telling them they have one last chance to improve their behaviour or find they are not welcome in town bars.

'All the licensees have had enough and think it is time we did something about this problem,' said Mr Dudley Hilton, licensee of the Just So cafe bar. 'There are a lot of decent people who are avoiding the town centre because they are worried about trouble. We want a husband and wife to be able to come out for a quiet drink without looking over their shoulders wondering what is happening in another part of the pub.'

Mr Hilton, chairman of a relaunched Pubwatch Scheme in Uckfield, said landlords had agreed to alert each other if troublemakers were heading their way. If there was a fracas in one pub which led to people being thrown out other pubs could be warned and given descriptions of the troublemakers so they could bar them from their premises too.

The police are supporting the initiative and have given licensees posters to display in their premises warning that violence, use of drugs, verbal abuse and physical abuse will not be tolerated and listing all the pubs prepared to ban those who won't conform.

'It's not only what happens inside the pubs that we are watching. It is what happens after people are turfed out too, any criminal damage,' said Mr Hilton. 'We want to clean up the town.'

Uckfield Neighbourhood Constable PC Peter Cook said: 'The message from the Pubwatch licensees and the police can not be made any clearer, if you are banned from one pub for any offence covered by the scheme you will automatically be banned from them all.

'The police will proactively support and enforce the scheme and in time promote the initiative to include the pubs in outlying villages as well.

'If anyone wants to cause problems for the residents of Uckfield, the licensees and the police this will not be tolerated. They will find themselves with nowhere to drink in Uckfield town centre.'

Sgt Neville Hay, community sergeant for Uckfield said: 'The message is have a nice time, behave and respect others not just in the pubs and clubs but on the way home as well.'