CLIENT: London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames
PROJECT: public drinking study
What were MAKE asked to do?
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was considering implementing a Designated Public Order (DPO) in Richmond and Twickenham town centres. A DPO allows police to stop somebody drinking or carrying alcohol in public, and confiscate or pour it away if they believe that person may later cause problems. It is not, as some people think (and some councils like to portray), a ban on drinking alcohol in public spaces!
The council asked MAKE to evidence any public drinking in its two main town centres and, if it did exist, to record any negative impacts associated with it. This was considered important given that in hotter months the borough’s public spaces adjacent to the river Thames do attract individuals who cause public order problems after the excessive consumption of alcohol.
How did MAKE do it?
MAKE developed an observational study programme that ran over four nights.
To carry out the observation, MAKE used its team of researchers who are trained in observation techniques and deployed them in the two towns.
We analysed, spatially mapped and presented the results in a factual report so that councillors themselves could make a decision whether to introduce the DPO or not (they did) and if so what the boundaries should be..
What happened next?
The number of incidents of public drinking in both towns was much higher than expected, particularly so in Richmond. Most people did not appear to be causing problems but a notable minority were. This was mainly littering of alcohol containers and excessive noise, but also urination, vomiting, criminal damage and on occasion alcohol-related violence.
Once introduced, the policy has empowered police officers to remove alcohol from anybody who comes to the borough, particularly from other parts of London and in particular those looking to get drunk rather than drink as part of a quiet gathering, picnic etc.
The police are also now able to greet people entering the town via the Underground and rail station and adopt early intervention techniques, pre-warning visitors that they will confiscate alcohol and also use another power (Section 27 – the ‘instruction to leave’ a location and not return for 48 hours) if they suspect that they may cause trouble of any kind.
What unique value did MAKE bring to this project?
This was the first time an observational study was undertaken to gauge whether a DPO might be needed and it was MAKE’s experience in the associated discipline of cumulative impact research that meant we could hit the ground running.