Should controls on street drinking in Lowestoft remain?

With Lowestoft town centre being covered by a PSPO (public spaces protection order), it was introduced three years ago to help reduce anti-social behaviour.

The PSPO prohibits the consumption of alcohol in specific areas and is currently in place for the Harbour ward in Lowestoft, which includes the town centre and High Street.

Public order powers for alcohol-related anti-social behaviour could be extended in Harbour ward. Picture: JAMES BASS/Newsquest (Image: Eastern Daily Press © 2004)

This order was introduced in 2020 and following a review of data collected by Suffolk Police, it is recommended that the order is renewed.

With the current town centre PSPO - which helps to reduce anti-social behaviour by stopping people drinking alcohol in public spaces - due to expire in October, a public consultation has now opened online with people encouraged to give their views on the proposed renewal. 

With the consultation continuing until August 21, Katie Graham, East Suffolk Council’s cabinet member for communities, leisure and tourism said: "Since the introduction of the PSPO, alcohol-related incidents significantly decreased however data collected over the past year by Suffolk Police shows a rise in anti-social behaviour where alcohol is a factor and so it is sensible to extend the PSPO to help tackle these incidents and benefit local residents and businesses."

Officers from the East Suffolk Communities Team will be outside the Britten Centre in Lowestoft this week - on Wednesday, August 16 (from 9.30am to noon) and on Saturday, August 19 (from 10am to 1pm) to speak to people about the PSPO consultation.

Full details of the PSPO, with information of how you can comment in the survey, can be found online via https://eastsuffolk.co/harbourward