'Take it slowly' warning to New Year revellers (From Western Telegraph)

'Take it slowly' warning to New Year revellers

51News: Revellers warning A TAKE IT SLOWLY warning to New Year revellers in Pembrokeshire goes out from local police this week with the news that pubs throughout Britain will be allowed to open for 36 hours in a row.

A Home Office deregulation order, which has just been granted, will permit licensed premises to open at 11 am on New Years Eve and not shut until 11 pm on New Years Day.

How many pubs in Pembrokeshire will be offering this 36-hour drinking opportunity is not known. But it is likely that a large proportion will choose to stay open well into the early hours of the New Year to make the most of revellers custom.

In Tenby, where Tudor Square is traditionally the countys most popular venue to see in the New Year, police feel that the open all hours policy could work to their advantage.

Said Acting Inspector Steve Britton: Because people will be leaving the pubs gradually, there wont be a surge through the streets at closing time. And we hope the extended hours will mean that revellers will pace their alcohol consumption through the night and be discouraged from binge-drinking.

Officers and specials from the Tenby section will be providing a high-visibility police presence at both the Tenby and Saundersfoot open-air celebrations, with a firm but fair approach to any problems that may arise, said Acting Inspector Britton.

Tenby's Tudor Square should be full to bursting with celebrating crowds as midnight strikes on New Years Eve.

Around 15 police and special officers will be on duty in the town to keep an eye on proceedings, with civilian volunteers manning the CCTV monitoring system.

Vehicle access to Tudor Square will be allowed until around 11 pm, but police will be diverting cars after this time to keep the area free for the crowds.

Traffic cones will be put out in the Square and neighbouring streets from around 7 pm onwards.

To ensure the safety of the occasion, two lots of scaffolding in the Square will be boarded up to prevent revellers from climbing and plastic glasses will be in use in pubs.

A family atmosphere will be the keynote of Saundersfoots New Years Eve celebrations, which will follow the successful formula of the previous two years with an open-air gathering at the Harbour.

Organised and financed through fundraising by the Saundersfoot Chamber for Tourism, the event runs from 7 pm to 12.30 pm, with a marquee, entertainment and fireworks at midnight.

Around 4,000 people saw in 2001 at this venue, and even more are expected this year.