Orders prohibiting public consumption of alcohol were launched then quietly shelved
The ‘no street drinking’ signs in areas such as College Green were never enforced by council officers(Image: John Myers/Bristol Live)
Bristol City Council did not issue a single fine for street drinking in over six years. And now orders restricting public consumption of alcohol have been quietly allowed to expire having never been enforced by council officers.
The council introduced 11 Public Space Protection Orders in 2017 which prohibited drinking or having open bottles containers of alcohol in at least 18 parks and green spaces around the city in a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Breaking a PSPO is a criminal offence and can lead to a fixed penalty fine of £60, rising to £100 if left unpaid for 10 days and possible court proceedings if ignored further.
However, Bristol City Council officers did not issue a single fine for public drinking while the orders were in place.
Councillor Stephen Williams, chair of the Public Health and Communities Committee, said the orders were ineffective and had been allowed to expire when they were reviewed.
“In 2023, Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) related to the public consumption of alcohol in specific areas of the city were reviewed in line with legislation,” he said. “This review found limited evidence to support their continuation in these areas and so they were allowed to expire.”
Despite the council saying the orders were ineffective, Fishponds resident Rachel Condon told Bristol Live she thought the level of antisocial behaviour in her neighbourhood had risen since the PSPOs expired.
“The police are not able to do their jobs and keep our community safe because of Bristol City Council inaction for whatever reason,” she said.
Councillor Williams said the council had other tools at its disposal to combat antisocial behaviour, such as written community protection warnings (CPWs).
CPWs do not permit the issuing of fines in the same way as PSPOs.
“We do however maintain the use of a range of other powers such as Community Protection Warnings and Notices, and we work in partnership with Avon and Somerset Police who utilise their powers such as Public Order Legislation and Dispersal Powers to reduce instances of antisocial behaviour,” Councillor Williams said.
“We will continue with this, alongside our work with other partners, to keep residents safe.”
Despite their ineffectiveness in tackling public drunkenness, the council has continued to use PSPOs to try to control other issues.
An order which makes it an offence to not clean up dog litter is still in place throughout the city, and the council recently approved two orders to prevent street vendors blocking busy paths in Ashton Gate and around Bristol Harbour.