PEOPLE living in Abingdon face being arrested and fined if they refuse to stop drinking alcohol in a public place when asked by a police officer.

The Abingdon “Designated Public Places Order” is being introduced by the Vale of White Horse District Council to combat drunk and disorderly behaviour in the street after the issue was identified as a key priority by those living in the town.

As from next Wednesday, police will have the power to demand that a drinker hands over their alcohol if an officer believes they are behaving in an anti-social way, or are likely to do so.

If they refuse to give up their alcohol they could be arrested and fined up to £500.

The decision to introduce the DPPO follows a police report that was handed to the district council.

Officers analysed the levels of recent anti-social behaviour in the town, which included street drinking, rowdy behaviour and noise.

A total of 2,650 incidents were recorded between March 31, 2007 and March 31, 2008 — that is roughly seven a day.

Between March 31, 2008 and March 31 this year there were 2,982 incidents — about eight a day.

Chief Insp Andy Boyd, the Vale’s police commander, said: “These new powers can help us to protect people from being disturbed by the inconsiderate behaviour of people who behave anti-socially as a result of drinking alcohol.

“It will not affect anyone who drinks responsibly in the town.”

Insp Ian Money, who is based at Abingdon police station, said: “The DPPO allows us to differentiate between two innocent adults having a glass of wine, to a group of people who are in the park, being rowdy and have a slab of 24 cans of lager with them.”

In March, Abbey Grounds, which is at the back of the district council offices near Abbey Close, was used as a dumping ground for empty beer bottles and cans.

Sarah Beer, who lives in nearby Burgess Close, said: “This is great news.

“First of all it does not look nice if people are walking around with alcohol in their hand.

“If you start fining a few people, then it will encourage other like-minded people not to do it.”

A spokesman for the Vale council said it carried out a month-long public consultation between August and September last year, suggesting the introduction of the order and received no complaints. So the order will be imposed in every street and public space in Abingdon.

Chamber of Commerce joint president Terry Boswell said: “We hope the DPPO will help make the town a pleasant place to be, to live and to shop.”

Liz Hayden, community safety manager at the Vale, said: “We are working hard to ensure that Abingdon is a place where people feel safe and are not bothered or intimidated by others.

“Introducing these measures not only helps police tackle these problems efficiently and effectively, it also sends out a clear message that anti-social drinking will not be tolerated in the town and will prevent such problems from developing in the first place.”

l For more information about the DPPO visit whitehorsedc.gov.uk