It's a camera clampdown

Swindon Borough Council plans to work with developers of Old Town to install closed-circuit television cameras in the district.

It is hoped CCTV will deter drunken yobbos and trouble-makers from spoiling the fun of those simply wanting a good night out.

Shop owners in the district welcome the move they repeatedly foot the bill for replacing windows and cleaning up after people who are out of control.

And police officers are sure video footage will help them in their investigations and deter law-breakers.

The call for CCTV came from Swindon councillor Wendy Johnson during a council ratification meeting when members agreed to spend money on cameras in Park South and Walcot.

Coun Johnson (Lib Dem, Old Town and Lawn) asked councillors to support her proposal for cameras in Old Town because it was such a popular night-spot for revellers. She was backed by members of all political parties.

"We are putting CCTV in other parts of town but at the moment there is no suggestion of us doing the same in Old Town," she said. "Pub-goers are creating something of a difficulty for those living and working in the area and for some of those who wish to go there but feel threatened.

"We have an urgent need for CCTV in Old Town because of the alcohol-related incidents."

The local authority is currently submitting a £1.75 million bid to the Home Office for a borough-wide security camera strategy, which could see the creation of a 24-hour manned central control room.

But as yet no money has been set aside by the council specifically for cameras in Old Town.

There are already 18 CCTV cameras installed by Swindon Council across the town.

And at the last ratification meeting members agreed to spend £54,000 on installing CCTV in Cavendish Square in Park South and Sussex Square in Walcot.

Residents in these areas called for the cameras to be set up in an attempt to combat vandalism and anti-social behaviour, and they could be in place as early as the New Year.

In the town centre the Royal Sun Alliance has put cameras outside its offices in The Parade, managers of the bus station have placed cameras there and Allied Dunbar has some pointing towards the subway leading to the shops.

Earlier this year First Great Western set up 18 cameras at Swindon train station. And in February managers of Pinehurst People's Centre were forced to shell out £11,000 on ten surveillance cameras after a spate of raids.

Chief Inspector Nick Maslen of Swindon Police thought CCTV was good for any part of the town.

"We think it is an effective deterrent for both criminal and unsociable behaviour and it is fair to say police investigations do benefit from the images captured on CCTV," he said. "The courts accept evidence obtained from CCTV and it is certainly a strong aid to gaining a conviction.

'Just as important is the reassurance it gives to law-abiding members of the public.

"There are strict guidelines governing the use of CCTV so there is no infringement of privacy and freedom rights. However, this does not detract from its effective use as an aid to criminal investigations."

He added that Old Town's problems were no worse than those elsewhere in town.

In April the Evening Advertiser reported how a drug addict was sentenced to four years at a young offenders institute for an unprovoked attack on a man. The vicious beating was caught on a security camera in the town centre and Michael Freeman, 19, was sentenced after the judge watched the video evidence.

Swindon councillor and mother-of-two Wendy Johnson has criticised nightclubs which she claims encourage young people to drink excessively.

The same week Swindon Council was talking about setting up CCTV in Old Town in an attempt to reduce alcohol-related crime, one club was giving its customers vouchers to buy up to ten drinks and get the same amount free in one evening.

But the manager of the club said the deal did not encourage excessive drinking because bar staff sold halves, and claimed that other venues had offers where punters could drink much more.

Coun Johnson (Lib Dem, Old Town and Lawn) was unhappy when her son Tom, 20, received vouchers through the post from The Mission Nightclub in Newport Street.

They enabled him to buy up to ten full-price drinks at a Hallowe'en event on Thursday, October 26, and receive the same amount free. But because Tom is abroad he did not take up the offer.

She said: "I really am not against young people drinking and enjoying themselves and I am not saying the majority of young people cause trouble when they are drunk.

"But I think encouraging them to have up to 20 drinks in one evening is frankly irresponsible and shocking. It frightens me what alcohol can do if it is consumed in the wrong sort of quantity. It can change people.

"I go out into Old Town and have a few glasses of wine and I think social drinking is fine, but no one likes a drunk."

Mission manager Simon Staley said the vouchers did not encourage customers to drink excessively.

"We do not serve pints, we only serve halves, so people would not be able to buy 20 pints using the vouchers," he explained.

"If you look around at what other clubs in the town are offering, people can drink more with their special offers."

He referred particularly to Destiny and Desire in the town centre and Eros in West Swindon, both of which have deals on some nights where customers pay £10 admission then drinks are free.

The manager of Destiny and Desire was unavailable for comment, but Justin Britchford from Eros said his club's promotions did not encourage people to drink too much.

"Eros offers a Friday night promotion of an all-inclusive night out for £10 which includes entry to the club and selected drinks.

"We appreciate the councillor's concerns but would like to assure her that the evening is carefully controlled and monitored by our staff and research shows that the all-inclusive price does not encourage excessive drinking."

Wendy Johnson was the councillor who called for CCTV to be installed in Old Town. Her proposal was backed by the the council's ratification committee.

She suggested closed-circuit television cameras could be installed in the four main shopping streets Wood Street, High Street, Newport Street and Devizes Road.

"People like going to Old Town at night which is fine but there are others who don't feel comfortable and CCTV could help them feel more secure," she said.