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Ban on drinking in public
09/01/2008
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has given Dumfries and Galloway Council permission to ban the public consumption of alcohol within the towns of Annan, Moffat, Lockerbie, Gretna, Langholm, and Eastriggs.
The ban, provided for by local byelaws, will start on February 15.
Mr MacAskill said:
"Public drinking is often a nuisance and can greatly hamper the quality of life for residents in a particular area. The 31 councils that have such byelaws in force have paid testimony to their effectiveness in reducing the nuisance and disorder commonly associated with public drinking. I will continue to support other councils that come forward with similar byelaw proposals"
Following a successful experiment in the use of byelaws to prohibit drinking in designated parts of Galashiels, Motherwell and Dundee, other local authorities were invited in 1993 to submit proposals for similar byelaws under powers contained in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
To date 31 councils across Scotland already have such byelaws, which cover more than 480 towns and villages, together with the built up areas within the city of Glasgow.