Drunken troublemakers in Chippenham could soon face tougher security measures in the town’s pubs and clubs this summer under plans to give door staff two-way radios.

Bouncers in the busiest night spots will get the radios, if funding is approved by Wiltshire Council’s Performance Reward Grant Scheme.

Councillors at a meeting of the Chippenham Area Board voted in favour of the project, which would mean 14 radios being issued around the town for door staff to communicate with one another and alert other businesses to potential trouble.

The grant application was made by Wiltshire Police in support of their Pub Watch Scheme.

Town centre beat manager PC Ashleigh Jones said: “The scheme is to provide radios to door staff to improve communication in order to assist in the early intervention and identification of drunkenness or potential offending behaviour.

“By this means, it should be possible to identify or ban unruly people from premises before they become a real problem.”

He was grateful that the council was supporting the plan.

“We hope it will make Chippenham an even safer place to socialise.”

Officers hope if door staff are provided with radios they will be able to stop troublemakers from making their way between clubs and increasing the likelihood of disorder.

“At present no efficient means exist to communicate promptly and effectively with and between key premises,” said PC Jones.

He said door staff often encountered trouble but sometimes reponses were not quick enough.

“Previous experience tells us that communicating this information to partner premises can assist in preventing further access to premises and early intervention by police as required.”

The grant application will now go to a panel for the final decision to be made.