TIME is officially called today on Leigh's town centre boozers.

Two prominent public areas are now alcohol-free zones with any offender likely to face arrest by the police.

It is hoped the scheme, which is the first in Greater Manchester, will help reduce alcohol and drug related crime, and that the prospect of up to a £500 fine will discourage people from drinking outdoors, which will in turn create a cleaner and safer town centre.

The ban was officially launched by Councillor Brian Jarvis and Supt Mary Boylan and will initially focus on two areas -- the Civic Square and surrounding area and the War Memorial Gardens in Church Street.

Mark out

Posters and signs clearly mark out the areas included and special bottle bins situated around the perimeter prevent people having any excuse for drinking within the ban site. Information leaflets, available from the town hall and library, answer common questions about the new scheme and a large scale map of the affected area will be on display in the town hall.

Cllr Jarvis said: "I am very pleased to be associated with this launch. Anti-social behaviour has been a disgrace for 10 years, I'm just sorry we couldn't have brought the ban in sooner. It takes time to do things like this, and this is not the end, it might even be the beginning. Our intention is to combat this problem."

Supt Boylan said: "Police have shared the frustration of the Leigh public and have found it hard to manage people who use these areas as a playground. Lots of work has been done but somtimes our hands have been tied. We will evaluate the situation in six months to see how it has improved."

ALSO reopening this week are the newly refurbished Bengal Street public toilets.

The once drug-ridden building has been given a make-over costing several thousand pounds. As well as a full scale clean-up, improvements include the addition of special sharps disposal boxes for needles.

Boxes

Cllr Jarvis said: "We don't want to encourage drug use, but feel it is better to have boxes for the safety of the public. We could close the toilets altogether, but drug addiction isn't going to go away and we want to keep Bengal Street open for the public."

APPLICATIONS for an Alcohol and Drug Services centre (ADS) in Leigh have been passed by Wigan Council's planning and development committee.

The centre, to be based in Silk Street, aims to offer counselling and support to those with drug and alcohol related problems. It will be the first of its kind in the area and hopes to be as successful as similar schemes in Manchester and Wigan.