Skip to site navigation

Accessibility Options

Font size

Colour scheme

Licensing operation extended

 
20 March 2006

Late-night licensing patrols that are helping to keep the streets in Greenwich safer are to be extended. The joint Council/Police initiative, which is unique for the capital, is also being recommended by the Government as an example for other boroughs to follow.

The Greenwich initiative, codenamed Operation Grape, has already played an important role in reducing levels of violent crime and street crime in the borough - in contrast with the London trend, which saw an increase in these types of crime.

Councillors and the police have now agreed to continue the programme, which features high-visibility late-night patrols of pubs and clubs by Police Officers and Greenwich Council licensing officers.

The priority for the initiative has been to reassure the public with targeted visits to ensure licensed premises are complying with the law. The patrols have visited many of the 600-plus premises in the borough that sell hot food late at night, provide entertainment or sell alcohol. In addition, the Council has issued information to residents on how to raise concerns over the operation of any licensed premises, and given an undertaking to respond speedily to all complaints.

During the first two months of the operation, Greenwich saw a fall in reported rates of violent crime and street crime. During the same period, the rates of these crimes for London as a whole rose.

Alongside ‘Operation Grape’, Council and Police officers have also carried out test purchases to identify premises that sell alcohol to underage minors.

Since the launch of the operation, 88 premises have been visited and on 22 occasions officers witnessed alcohol being served to a person under 18. They have issued a total of 38 penalty notices in relation to these offences. The most recent operation took place on Saturday 11 March, when ten premises were visited. Of these, five were witnessed selling alcohol to a girl aged 15, resulting in the issuing of ten fixed penalty notices.

Greenwich Council Leader Chris Roberts said, 'Greenwich was the only borough in London to pay for extra police patrols and it has been an undoubted success. We have had very positive feedback from residents, and also from pubs and clubs who tell us the operation has helped the licensing changes go smoothly.'

Greenwich Borough Commander Chief Insp Peter Lowton said, 'The late-night patrols are a very good example of how partnership between the Police, the Council, residents and businesses is helping to make the borough safer for everyone.'

ENDS

Media enquiries:
Greenwich Council Communications:        
Andrew Stern      020 8921 5043
Metropolitan Police Area Press Office:      
Sarah Goodall      020 8284 5136

Notes to editors
1 Operation Grape was launched on 24 November 2005, the day that the new licensing laws came into force. At the same time, information was sent to residents about the new licensing rules and outlining the action they can take if they are concerned about a local licensed premises.
2 Greenwich Council’s 24-hour licensing hotline is 020-8921 8018. Residents can contact this number with any licensing concerns, or to report noise problems.  Residents don’t have to give a name, but if they do leave contact details the Council will get back to them and update on any action taken.
3 The Council has also set up a dedicated area with in the Greenwich Council website: www.greenwich.gov.uk/licensing
The service is updated regularly to include:
- a list of the premises that have applied for a licence
- hours of operation for each licensed business
- any conditions that the Council has imposed on each business
- any premises that have had formal action taken against them, or additional conditions imposed.
The service also informs residents:
- how to object to a licence application
- how to make a formal complaint that a business is breaching its licence.
4 Over 600 premises in the borough are required to have licences under the new licensing legislation.
5 The Government Office for London has written to Greenwich Council commending Operation Grape and recommending it as a model of good practice.

A to Z of Services

Contact information for media only