Tesco store signs up to Nightsafe
Laura Bagshaw SHOPLIFTERS who swipe items off the shelves at Tesco face being banned from the town's pubs and clubs, the Mercury can reveal. The supermarket giant is the latest business to sign up to Nightsafe, a hard-hitting banning scheme launched in Yarmouth last month which aims to reduce alcohol-related violence.
Laura Bagshaw
SHOPLIFTERS who swipe items off the shelves at Tesco face being banned from the town's pubs and clubs, the Mercury can reveal.
The supermarket giant is the latest business to sign up to Nightsafe, a hard-hitting banning scheme launched in Yarmouth last month which aims to reduce alcohol-related violence.
More than 20 premises have now signed up to Nightsafe, and Justin Buckle, security manager at Tesco Extra, on Pasteur Road, believes
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its membership will act as
a tough deterrent to
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potential shoplifters.
Mr Buckle said: “As a member of the scheme we will be able to share information on known troublemakers and it will act as a deterrent to shoplifters who face being banned from other premises if they cause a problem at the store.”
Tesco Extra has a 24-hour alcohol licence, and Mr Buckle said he hoped youngsters who tried to purchase alcohol underage would be deterred.
“We abide by the Think 21 policy where anyone trying to purchase alcohol who looks under 21 will be challenged and asked for identification,” added Mr Buckle.
Devised by local businessman Mike Butcher and PC Gary Pettengell of Norfolk Police, Nightsafe sees unruly drinkers banned from member premises, with
their profiles
and photographs
uploaded to a
secure website so
information on troublemakers is shared.
The scheme works by premises displaying a Nightsafe logo, and an exclusion order form will be filled in by a member of staff if a customer causes problems. The customer will be handed a red card explaining they have been banned, ordering them to leave the premises. If possible a photograph will also be
taken and details passed
to police. To date one red
card has been issued.
PC Pettengell said: “It is the first time a supermarket has signed up to such a scheme. This is really big news for Yarmouth and shows Nightsafe is coming on in leaps and bounds. It really is about the community coming together and tackling issues that affect everyone. Different business sectors in the licensing trade are coming together with a common aim.”
Nightsafe is being piloted in the Yarmouth area, while a scheme is being launched in Norwich tomorrow.
Mr Butcher said he was thrilled Tesco had signed up to the scheme, which has so far seen one red card handed to a reveller who refused to walk away from a fight at a seafront pub.
