Scunthorpe licensees consider glass ban

Pubs in Scunthorpe may be forced to switch to polycarbonate glasses after a spate of incidents in the town.

Police met with around 30 licensees at the last Pubwatch meeting to discuss the use of polycarbonate glasses following incidents over the past six weekends.

"Over the last six weekends in Scunthorpe town centre there has been an incident each weekend where at least one person has been injured by a glass or a glass bottle," said PC Steve Turner. "One of which involved somebody requiring seven stitches to the face.

"To coincide with this licence holders have said that anyone caught using a glass or bottle in a vicious manner will be banned from the premises. This has so far resulted in an instant ban for three people already.

"We will be working with the local licensees where these incidents have occurred to discuss the use of polycarbonate glasses and bottles. One local venue, nightclub Love2love, does already have the use of polycarbonate glasses but still uses glass bottles and we will be looking at where improvements can be made."

Pubwatch chair and Zest Bar licensee Patience Roberts said: "Everybody at the Pubwatch meeting was in favour of polycarbonate glasses but obviously there is the extra cost and the taste issue to consider.

"At the moment it is only voluntary but if there is any more trouble we may not have a choice. It is not so much police pressure but a case of us working closely with police to stop any problems."

Ian Charles, freehold owner of Wicked Bar and Pubwatch vice-chairman, added: "I don't think there is any need for a blanket glass ban. I think it is more for high volume late-night venues. We are open late but have no trouble so I won't be switching at the moment."

Tracey Gunner, relief manager at Mint Bar, said: "I don't agree with a glass ban at all. I would rather shut the pub than use plastic."