A Corporate Anti-social Behaviour Order (Corporate ASBO) could be with us sooner than you think.
Do you own, operate or manage a pub, club, bar or restaurant in an area known for loud music, drunkenness and rowdy behaviour? Then you need to be aware of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill.
Issue: This Bill aims to deal with public nuisance, disorder and crime. For example, where people are drunk or rowdy in public places, loud music which is causing a nuisance, or where such behaviour is having an impact on the community. The police and local authority will have power to serve Criminal Behaviour Orders, Community Protection Notices and Public Spaces Protection Orders to prevent this from happening and/or reoccurring.
Key dates: The Bill is yet to become law. It is in the “ping pong” stage going between the House of Commons and House of Lords until the final wording has been agreed. The Government is committed to passing this law to require companies and business operators to help control public nuisances.
Impact: Owners and operators of pubs, clubs and restaurants can be the subject of these Orders or Notices as well as the site manager. A “corporate anti-social behaviour order” would be targeted at company which is deliberately socially harmful or causing harassment, alarm or distress at a local level. The order would be used where there was local disregard for the public and for the environment that could cause harassment, alarm or distress. There is a suggestion of a pre-sanction stage, with an “acceptable behaviour contract” to deal with problems at an early stage, without the need to serve such an Order. But businesses will have to accept fault and work with the community, police and local authority to rectify the behaviour.
Action: Owners and operators of pubs, clubs and restaurants should review any complaints and their management actions to resolve these especially in known “hot spots” where their premises could cause or contribute to public nuisances.
For more information please contact Charlotte Murray at Greenwoods Solicitors LLP
on 01733 887700
Written by Charlotte Murray Executive in the Business Defence Team
Greenwoods Solicitors LLP
Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough PE1 1JE, 01733 887700
Trinity House, Cambridge Business Park, Cambridge CB4 0WZ
01223 393518
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