Forget zero tolerance: Blowing bubbles is the latest 'bonkers' initiative to tackle binge-drinking
By
Jaya Narain
Last updated at 8:00 AM on 01st December 2008
Forget tougher sentences and more bobbies on the beat, the latest weapon in the war on drunk yobs is... bubble blowing.
Revellers at pubs and clubs will be handed bubble-blowers with the aim of channelling over-boisterous behaviour into harmless fun.
The blue and orange children's toys, which double as pens, will be handed out by police community support officers in Bolton on Saturday nights throughout December.
Forget bobbies on the beat - blowing bubbles will tackle alcohol-fuelled aggression, says Bolton Council
Earlier this year drinkers were handed children's lollipops as they left pubs and clubs after research showed the sugar in the sweets helped stabilise the behaviour of people who had drunk a lot of alcohol.
Thames Valley Police claimed the scheme reduced the number of violent assaults on the streets by 10 per cent.
Last week it emerged that women in Devon, spotted staggering home in high heels or bare feet, are being given flip-flops to stop them falling face-first in the gutter.
But the latest initiative has been condemned as a 'nursery school gimmick' and a waste of taxpayers money.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'This is completely bonkers. People want the police fighting crime, not handing out nursery school gimmicks. If this money isn't needed it should be given back to taxpayers, not squandered.'
Resident Philip Reid, 52, said: 'Every year councils and quangos come up with a new ridiculous crime fighting schemes but there is nothing that has ever been better at policing our streets than police officers.
'All these initiatives are launched because police officers duties don't seem to include policing town centres anymore.'
Shop owner Elizabeth Edwards said: 'We often have shop premises damaged by aggressive drunks and I don't think blowing bubbles is going to help, they'll only end up chucking the soapy liquid at each other.
'I resent having to pay business rates and council tax when the local authority spends it on such hare-brained schemes. It is appalling.'
Bolton Council could not say how much the scheme will cost, but each bubble blower usually retails at around £1.
Cllr Elaine Sherrington, of Boltonn Council, said: 'The bubble pens are a great idea to keep things light-hearted. Town centre revellers will have something fun to focus on as they leave pubs and clubs.
'The run-up to the festive period should be full of fun, not problems with drunkenness or rowdy behaviour.'
The initiative has been launched by the Be Safe Partnership, involving Bolton council, the police and fire service.
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Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?
I used to laugh at the idea of lollipops being handed out, now I think I am going to cry from laughter at this idea! I wonder how long it will be before people are injured by these pens. Let us not forget about the individuals who might have breathing problems and have asmatic attacks while trying to blow bubbles in a drunken stupor.
"Nothing to see here citizen, move along." What a dumb idea! Next month will be tiddly wink month?
The nutters keep on getting nuttier - if you can believe that! When will all this foolishness end?
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And the soapy liquid on modern paving surfaces is going to be very slippery.....wait until someone from this moronic council slips over in it, they'll be screaming "Law suit" before the bubbles dry. What a bunch of fools.
- Margaret, Warwickshire, England, 01/12/2008 14:33