BAR and nightclub licensees say that a new Pubwatch scheme will benefit Weston by making the town safer.

In a bid to stamp out antisocial drunken behaviour at the resort’s drinking hotspots, a new link-up, which is part of a national network, has been created.

Pubwatch held its first meeting last month and already has a huge following with owners from Raddy’s, Cheers, Shooters, Shadow Lounge, Seven, Liquid Lounge, Yates, The Grand Pier, and many more, having signed up.

Pubwatch allows licensees to share information and stop rowdy or drunken people from causing trouble.

Some Pubwatch groups impose life bans for offences such as serious assaults on staff or drugs supply and it is up to each watch to decide what is appropriate for their area according to community issues.

A spokesman from Weston’s Pubwatch said: “We are hoping this will help Weston be a much safer and more enjoyable place for residents, families and visitors.

“We have a new banning list, which has no names on as we wanted to start afresh and give people a clean slate.

“Lots of people are now involved and we will approach other businesses to get them on board and we think it’s going to be a really good thing for the town.”

As part of its remit, the group will meet regularly to discuss issues and will have the power to ban individuals who cause trouble in one venue from all venues within the scheme.

Pubwatch was formed after a recommendation from the police and Town Centre Partnership.

Town centre Sergeant, Pete Land, said: “It’s not something run by the police but it’s something we are very much in support of and the group has got off to a good start.”