Bewdley Town Centre Public Space Protection Order - Alcohol consumption
There is currently a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place in Bewdley Town Centre.
The order gives officers the power to order people who are causing problems while drinking in the town centre to hand over or dispose of alcohol. If they fail to do they may be given on-the-spot fines of up top to £100, or up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.
A PSPO is not an outright ban on street drinking. Consuming alcohol in a public place is not an offence, unless you fail to comply with an officer’s request. The PSPO covering Bewdley Town Centre does not make it illegal to carry or drink alcohol, so long as drinking is done responsibly. The PSPO will only be used to tackle alcohol related anti-social behaviour or disorder.
View the signed and sealed version of the full Public Spaces Protection Order (pdf 2026KB), please note this may not be accessible to users of assistive technology.
What are the concerns and issues with street drinking?
Street drinking is sometimes associated with anti-social behaviour, causing high levels of noise, rowdy and nuisance behaviour, harassment and intimidation of passers-by, as well as the littering of cans and bottles.
What are Public Spaces Protection Orders?
These are areas that can be designated by Wyre Forest District Council where anti-social behaviour has been causing a nuisance or annoyance.
In these areas, police, police community support officers and council officers (where designated) have certain powers to help tackle such behaviour.
Officers can request people to stop drinking alcohol in the designated public places and ask to surrender their drink. If people refuse they can be issued a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 and a maximum of £1000 upon prosecution.
A PSPO is not an outright ban on street drinking. It is not an offence to consume alcohol in a public place; the offence is failing to comply with an officer’s request.
Can I be stopped or arrested for carrying alcohol in public spaces?
A PSPO does not make it illegal to carry alcohol or to drink alcohol in a public place. So long as drinking is done responsibly a PSPO will only be used to tackle alcohol related anti-social behaviour or disorder. Under these circumstances police and council officers (where designated) will have the power to stop people drinking alcohol and seize or confiscate alcohol within the controlled area. If you fail to comply with an officer’s request to stop drinking and/or dispose of alcohol, you could face a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
Do Police already have these powers?
The Police can make an arrest for street drinking related anti-social behaviour. However, it is only an offence to refuse with an officer’s request to stop drinking alcohol or to surrender alcohol when asked, where a PSPO is in operation. Where there is no PSPO in operation, it is not an offence alone to refuse to surrender alcohol, although any related anti-social behaviour can give cause for arrest.
Will there be signs in Bewdley Town Centre alerting people to the new PSPO?
Yes, signage will be around the PSPO boundaries in Bewdley
Would people still be able to drink or hold alcohol bottles outside pubs?
Yes.
The PSPO does not make it illegal to drink alcohol in a public place. However, if a person was to drink beyond the legal boundary of a licensed premise and they do not stop drinking if asked to do so by a police officer or another designated officer, then they could be at risk of regulation.
Will there be any extra policing to enforce the PSPO?
No.
Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams will continue to patrol and respond to incidents as part of their community response.
Are there time restrictions on a PSPO?
The PSPO will be in force all hours of the day, every day. The PSPO will last for three years and be extended following a review.
What are the benefits of a PSPO?
The main benefits of a PSPO are to help tackle anti social behaviour associated with street drinking.
Are licensed premises affected?
Although a PSPO would restrict alcohol consumption in a public area the Act states that licensed premises are not affected.
What about street parties and events in parks?
Events within a public place authorised by a premises license or a Temporary Event Notice will be excluded from the Police PSPO powers.