Skipton'S licensees and police have joined forces to stop bottles and glasses being taken from pubs.

A new initiative, which sees the local police and licensees working together, could mean that anyone who removes a bottle or glass from pub premises will face arrest for theft.

Acting Inspector Stuart Mackleston told the Herald that the initiative had arisen from the regular licensing meetings held at the police station, at which the licensees and the police work together towards solving common problems.

At the last meeting, approximately 20 pubs in the Skipton area were represented and gave their support to the initiative.

"One problem which was identified was that a large quantity of bottles and glasses were being removed from the pub premises - people are not finishing their drinks and just moving on."

He added: "From the police's point of view there are several problems caused by this.

"There is a problem with the litter aspect and also with glasses getting broken and smashed which then can become a danger to members of the public.

"When smashed, bottles can also make a weapon, which can be potentially lethal if any violent disorder occurs."

Insp Mackleston added: "The licensees also have a problem as they lose an awful lot of money on all the returnable bottles which are taken out of the pub and lost."

He said those involved in the pub trade and the police already tried to stop people taking bottles and glasses off the premises to some degree, but now the action would be stepped up.

He told the Herald: "Now we have got the full support of the licensees, and although there is no law against drinking in public, members of the public will be encouraged to return their bottles to the pub.

"If they refuse, the licensees may decide to charge them for theft."

He added the aim of the initiative was not to "spoil people's enjoyment", but to keep it an enjoyable experience for the majority of people who visited the pubs in the town centre.

Licensee of the Red Lion pub in Skipton, Robin Buttery said he fully supported the initiative and added that the pub faced a net loss with glasses being taking from the pub, a problem which they always monitored closely.

He said: "It's obviously something we discourage anyway because of the inherent dangers in it."

Martin Gillett, manager at The Cock and Bottle pub, said: "I am from Blackpool originally and there people are not allowed to take bottles and glassware outside at all, there's a ban on it.

"After that, the amount of incidents was more than halved. I'm all for the new initiative."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.