Darwen town centre introduces a new ban to tackle public drinking, drug use, and begging, effective soon.
Darwen: A new ban is coming to Darwen town centre. This ban will stop people from drinking, using drugs, urinating, and begging in public. It’s part of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) that’s been approved for three years.
The new rules will kick in by the end of the month. If someone breaks the rules, they could face a fine of up to £100 or even end up in court. The goal is to reduce anti-social behaviour and public drunkenness, similar to what’s already happening in Blackburn.
The council has been working on this since January last year. They’ve been listening to concerns from the community about issues like alcohol-related problems and begging. A report showed that there were nearly 700 reports of anti-social behaviour in the area over two years, with alcohol being a big part of it.
So, what are the new rules? Well, people won’t be allowed to drink alcohol or have open containers in the area. They can’t use drugs, urinate, or beg in public spaces either. The aim is to keep the town centre safe and pleasant for everyone.
The PSPO will be reviewed after three years. The council had a similar order in Blackburn that worked well, so they think this will help Darwen too. They want to make sure both town centres have the same rules to tackle these issues effectively.
Interestingly, the new order won’t affect public events like Darwen Music Live, which is great news for locals. Cllr Dave Smith is on board with this change, saying it’s about time. He mentioned that there have been some troubling incidents lately, like youths throwing fireworks, and this order should help curb that kind of behaviour.
Stay tuned for more updates and subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest news from Lancashire!
