Builders go to town with celebration

Inside Skipton Police Station Sgt Debbie Perkin is briefing a team of eight officers, a dog handler, two community support officers and two plain clothes "spotters" about Operation Warn.

"Right, it's Builders' Friday, so called because all those in the building trade have finished for Christmas and, basically, get absolutely legless," she explains.

And this year there is an added matter for police to keep their eye on. New regulations have just come into force which ban the consumption of alcohol on the streets in Skipton town centre.

Ask most members of the public what they think of Skipton on a Friday and Saturday night and they will tell you that it's like a wild west town. For many, it's a no-go area, where the chances are you'll be beaten up or worse by marauding gangs. Reading the court cases covered by the Craven Herald might give the impression that lawlessness and violence are commonplace.

Skipton's wild reputation puzzles police. They'll tell you that compared with many other towns, there is little disorder. And while the punishment of crime rightly attracts newspaper coverage, it is the odd incident which sticks in people's minds rather than a typical weekend night, when things pass off if not exactly peacefully, then certainly incident free.

So my request to spend a few hours on Builder's Friday with the officers on the street was speedily approved.

"It could be quite boring, chances are there'll be a lot less trouble than you anticipate," was the warning.

Even so, it is obvious the police are not leaving anything to chance for Builders' Friday. A police dog handler has been drafted in and the licensees have a special dedicated line into the police station, cutting out the need to go via Northallerton.

Police shifts have been extended so there are eight officers patrolling the streets on foot and in vans.

Two officers have the task of mingling with the crowds in pubs, ready to spot potential trouble and, just in case a busload of hooligans drops in looking for a fight, there's a special unit of "big burly coppers" on stand-by, albeit in Harrogate.

It will be an expensive night, but the police are determined that the merry builders go home with nothing worse than an imminent hangover.

Sgt Kevin Wilson reminds the officers about the new regulations which make drinking in public in the central area of town an arrestable offence. He instructs them to persuade anyone with a glass or bottle to go back into the pub.

"We're not trying to increase arrests, we don't want to be draconian but we do want them off the streets," he said. "They leave the bottles or glass behind and then it can be a weapon so give them the choice, go back inside or you're under arrest."

With that it's out on the streets to keep the peace.

By 9pm little has happened. The pubs have been busy, noisy but everyone is in a good mood. The police officers are, if anything, a little bored when the first action occurs.

Officers are called to the Lock, Stock and Barrel, where a drunk has been turfed out by doormen. When the police arrive he is abusive and determined to force his way back in.

When he spits at the biggest police officer on duty, it's not the wisest decision he'll ever make and an arrest is made.

Even the presence of the police dog fails to calm him down and he aims another volley of spittle in the direction of the animal. A bystander who has had far too much to drink decides to administer his own bit of arbitrary justice and kicks the first offender. He too is taken into custody.

For these two, Builders' Friday is over. Within minutes of being "processed" they are locked up in a cell to sleep it off. Regular checks will be made through the night to ensure they are sleeping like babies.

Back in the van with Sgt Steve O'Brien and PC Oliver Lund, they tell me that Skipton is still a very safe place to visit.

Sgt O'Brien suggests that many elderly people live in fear of being the victim of a violent attack, but in fact the statistics are that the elderly are the least likely to be victims of an assault.

Young, white males are the main victims of violent crime. I rack my brains trying to think of the last time the Herald reported on a pensioner being attacked and conclude he's right.

The streets are busy, with small groups heading steadily southwards towards Bliss Nightclub. We all express astonishment at how the women can withstand the near zero temperatures dressed in small, revealing tops.

A car pulls by with only one back light. Sgt O'Brien carefully follows it into the bus station and pulls up right behind it.

The driver admits he's had a shandy and willingly takes a breath test. The amber light shows but he's passed and sent on his way with a friendly warning that another will take him over the limit so don't ruin his Christmas.

It is the ninth day of the police campaign on drink drivers and 134 breath tests have been carried out. Five have proved positive. The officers muse on how many are caught not on the night of a drinking session but the following morning.

A resident in Broughton Road calls the police to complain that youths have damaged the wing mirror of her car. Our van is there within a couple of minutes of taking the call and the woman gives us a description and says they headed off in the direction of town. The wing mirror is bent back, but otherwise undamaged.

The two officers keep a close eye on the bands of youths - but none fit the description.

We keep passing another police van and spot the officers on foot patrol but the warnings were correct - it's very good natured.

A few exchange pleasantries with the police but most are simply hurrying to the next pub before last orders.

A call comes in about a fight on Crag View Road on the Greatwood estate. Three vans race to the scene but when we arrive it's as quiet as the grave.

No-one comes out to lodge a complaint and, after a couple of minutes, a collective decision is taken to leave the scene.

By now it's 11pm and the High Street is deserted. As we turn into Swadford Street, the radio warns of potential trouble outside the Lock, Stock and Barrel in Coach Street. As we pull into Swadford Street a youth races out and runs off in the opposite direction.

PC Lund is out of the van in a flash and it seems an age before we turn the van round and catch up with him outside Dillons. He's caught his man, who blurts out that his mate ran off and he was just chasing after him to find out why.

"He's not in any trouble is he?" he asks.

Radio messages reveal that there is no trouble at the pub and no complaint. The speedy youth is free to go, albeit with a caustic comment that running away from police officers is likely to raise a few suspicions.

From there we head off down Keighley Road, where the officers attention is drawn to a man who takes two steps forward and three into the middle of the road. Concerned for his safety, we pull up alongside.

Sure enough, it's a builder, who's friendly enough and apologetic for getting into a state. He's spent up and hasn't the money left for a taxi, so it's a long walk home to Carleton.

He has a rueful grin on his face: "I'm sorry, I know you lads have plenty to do on Builders' Friday without having to worry about me," he slurs.

The officers indulge in some chat but are trying to ascertain whether he's a danger to himself and should be locked up for his own safety. They watch him totter off and make the decision that the cold night will sober him up.

By now there's a big queue outside Bliss but the streets are deserted. The last remnants of the drinkers can be seen through the pub windows and the officers decide it's time to head to the police station for a quick brew.

After, they'll be outside Bliss to keep an eye on things as the nightclub closes but they're pleased with the way things have gone.

The rest of the night is to pass peacefully and the next day the officer in charge of Skipton area, Tad Nowakowski, recaps on Operation Warn.

The two arrests early in the evening are the only two of the night.

The dedicated phone line took only three calls in the 24 hour period.

A window was broken at the Craven pub but the police are hopeful of an arrest.

Otherwise it was, he says, "deadly dull".

But he has no regrets at the resources dedicated to the evening.

"The night passed off without any major incident, indeed it was very quiet," he said.

"I put it down to several factors.

"People have taken notice of the advice given and the Stand initiative a police-licensees policy which can result in troublemakers being banned from all pubs in town. That's pretty serious if you can't get a drink in your home town.

"Secondly we worked very closely with the licensees and they felt reassured by having a dedicated phone line in case there was trouble.

"Thirdly we carried out some positive policing. The police presence was very visible and it would have been obvious that we wouldn't take any nonsense.

"Overall everyone was on good behaviour and if someone was looking for trouble, it was obvious that we had the manpower to deal with it."

Ah, yes. But this was 'Builders' Friday' and special precautions had been taken. What about other weekends?

"Yes it's true, we did have extra officers on duty," said Insp Nowakowski, "But it's usually just as quiet on any weekend night.

"Skipton really isn't a dangerous place to go out at night. It's noisy but there's no law against proper behaviour. Honest, it's Skipton, not Dodge City."