I would like to express my concern at the increasing levels of violence in Lancaster. I moved away from the area and only returned recently and was glad to see so many people having a great night out. New pubs, new nightclubs, better restaurants, it's great to see the city thriving but it is in danger of becoming like all the other boozy city centres. Morecambe has shown that cheap beer and pubs staying open until 2am is asking for trouble. Ask the police and they will agree. One Saturday night a Lancaster pub showed the football and boxing and sold beer at £1 a pint until 2am. The place was like the wild west and, sure enough, there were people who ended up in hospital. Every weekend there are reports of violent assaults on innocent people walking home. Do the authorities not realise that pubs staying open until 2am, selling alcohol cheap, is a recipe for more violence on the streets.

Pubs are not geared up for late licences and I hope Lancaster doesn't go the way of Morecambe, where you fear for your life if you go for a night on the town. Lancaster was always pretty safe, can we keep it that way?

Andrew McCormack,

DJ, Scale Hall.

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