8 February (Part 2) - Bexley’s Beer Ban
The Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting went on for another half hour
after the e-scooter discussion ended. Incidentally my own sources on that
subject say the Home Office instructed the police to go easy on scooter
users presumably because they will look rather silly if they are prosecuting
them one day but encouraging their use - with conditions one must hope - the next.
Councillor Mabel Ogundayo (Labour, Thamesmead East) asked what happened at
King Henry’s School two weeks ago which led to the police restrictions placed on the surrounding area.
“Serious violence was involved” but no further information was forthcoming.
Councillor Nicola Taylor said we were three months into the Borough Protection
Order, has it had any positive effects?
The Police said it definitely had with close to 80 Prevention Orders issued. 61
Fixed Penalty Notices for street drinking and one for nitrous oxide misuse.
Councillor Caroline Newton was a little bit concerned, especially as Summer
approaches, that an impromptu picnic on a park bench with a can of Fosters
rather than Fanta will result in a fine by
the
profit driven Kingdom agents. The answer was that the situation would need
close monitoring and justification but an opened can of beer may well have that result.
Maybe all the drinkers will
migrate to Lesnes Abbey Park
where Bexley Council aims to encourage open air drinking.