Landlords turn to web to tackle trouble-makers

Licensees in Norfolk have launched a website to share images of trouble-makers, The Publican reports.

Images of customers who have been aggressive in local pubs can be uploaded to the site and seen by others in the network. They are then automatically banned from all member premises.

The initiative is part of the Great Yarmouth Nightsafe campaign and is part-funded by the Government's Alcohol Related Partnership Activity campaign.

Organisers say that photographs on the website will be automatically removed after six months if the person has caused no further trouble.

Joe Murray, who represents Pubwatch schemes in a number counties in northern England, said that the sharing of photos via the internet is now used by a number of groups.

"Providing they are secure they work exceptionally well, but some of the databases available are expensive," he said.

Tom Watson from the London branch of Pubwatch told More Than Business News: "The whole thing about Pubwatches is that they allow licensees to communicate with each other - this is just another way of helping them do that."