TOUGH bans for trouble-makers have helped bring a massive reduction in violent crime in Darwen town centre, according to pubs and the police.

Figures show that the number of violent incidents in town centre pubs and clubs are down 73 per cent.

It follows an overhaul of the BarU pubwatch scheme in Darwen, 10 years after it was first launched.

Before, the maximum ban handed out was a year but now it is possible to be banned from Darwen town centre pubs for life.

Around 26 offenders are currently serving bans.

Darwen town centre community beat manager PC Simon Harwood said: “This is a small, insular town and banning someone from all the pubs here really impacts on their social life.”

The pubwatch, which has 21 members across the town, decides on the length of bans and circulates information and photographs between one another to stop the offenders from entering other premises.

Its chairman, Adam Hulme, who runs The Bridgewater pub, in Church Street, said: “A new committee has taken over and we really felt that a change was needed.

“Whereas we used to meet bi-monthly, now it it is monthly, and we’re in daily contact.

"We’ve also built up a great relationship with the town centre police.

“The bans now range from three months to lifetime bans.

"We feel that this is much fairer and flexible depending on the level of problem caused.

“There is also the opportunity to appeal against a ban if the person thinks it is unreasonable.

“It’s definitely working and people respect the system.”

PC Harwood said the decrease in violent incidents was phenomenal.

He said: “It shows that the tougher BarU scheme is working.

“There is one lad I know who has the shortest temper in Darwen, but after serving a BarU ban, he refused to get into another fight when provoked because he doesn’t want another ban.

“Currently there are 26 people on the Darwen BarU scheme, with another four to go on shortly.

“Their offences range from threats to drug possession in a pub, and assault.”