In the month since the Woolwich Town Centre alcohol ban began police have been called to 16 incidents and made four arrests as wardens continue to crack down on street drinking.
The borough’s deputy commander and Greenwich Council both said there has been positive results since the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) came into force.
In the first three weeks of the ban, the council’s town centre Wardens intervened on 46 occasions to confiscate open containers of alcohol.
Out of these, 14 individuals agreed to surrender their booze, 32 people were requested to leave the area with immediate effect and 14 fines were issued to those drinking alcohol.
The Metropolitan Police have also have also played a part in supporting wardens when situations threaten to escalate.
General Gordon Square was a popular spot for street drinkers.
Officers have attended 16 incidents in response to warden requests, with four people being arrested and going to court where they received hefty penalties.
Deputy Borough Commander Joseph McDonald said police are committed to tackling street drinking and anti-social behaviour.
“One month on from the introduction of the PSPO in Woolwich and we are already seeing some really positive results.
“However, the Woolwich PSPO was never just about enforcement. It’s also about helping those with substance addiction to find the appropriate support services and I’m delighted to say that the initial data shows that the PSPO is doing exactly that.”
Councillor Jackie Smith, Greenwich Council cabinet member for community safety & environment, said the ban’s success “speaks for itself”.
She said: “Street drinking is down, referrals to support agencies are up and the number of businesses participating in the Reduce the Strength Campaign is higher than ever.
“We’re not going to stop here though and we will soon be carrying out another survey of residents and businesses to find out how they feel the PSPO is performing.”
Staff at Lifeline BaSIS, a support network in Greenwich for those using drugs and alcohol, undertook outreach with the long-standing group of street drinkers before and during implementation of the ban.
In the past month the wardens have referred six people so far to Lifeline BaSIS and other suitable support services.
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