AN ON-STREET booze ban will be enforced over large swathes of a north Durham community in a bid to tackle problems with anti-social behaviour.

Durham County Council’s area general licensing sub-committee meeting yesterday approved Designated Public Places Orders prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in several areas of Stanley .

The orders will apply in Stanley town centre, part of Southmoor, Hollyhill Gardens and its surrounding streets in South Stanley, as well as in the villages of Annfield Plain, New Kyo and Catchgate.

They will allow police to confiscate booze and even arrest adults drinking in public.

A report to yesterday’s meeting said each of these areas had experienced long-standing problems of rowdy behaviour and general nuisance caused by gatherings of both adults and minors.

The authority’s safer neighbourhoods co-ordinator, Tom Clifford, told the meeting that evidence showed much of this behaviour was aggravated by the consumption of alcohol.

He added, existing powers enabled to the police to confiscate alcohol immediately from minors, who are then referred for further action and support, but similar powers were not currently available in respect of adults and behaving in an anti-social way.

Chief Inspector Ian Butler, who is charged with the responsibility for policing the area, last night welcomed the orders.

He said: “It will give us another arm to our toolkit for tackling key issues around alcohol related anti-social behaviour.

“Quite often it is not just about young people who have access alcohol, but could range to older people who cause particular anti-social problems.

“What the orders to is provide us with additional powers we did not previously have – to extend them to more problematic groups who are a little bit older and perhaps more intimidating to local communities.”

Stanley Town Council has agreed to fund the cost of implementing the orders estimated at £12,000 – or £3,000 an order – including signage in the areas concerned.

Town clerk Russell Morgan said: “We are delighted the orders have been granted. It is the culmination of a long process.

“We look forward to the benefit they will bring once they are implemented.”