THE centre of Tenby will become the county’s first ‘controlled drinking zone’ following the approval of a proposed new by-law.

At last week’s Full Council members agreed to make a Designated Public Place Order which will assist the police crackdown on anti-social drinking within the walled town, a number of surrounding streets in the town and the beaches and harbour.

It provides police with the power to require people not to drink alcohol and to surrender any alcohol or alcohol containers in their possession.

It will not affect properly licensed events in the designated zone such as the open-air harbour spectaculars or the town’s café culture.

It allows the police to stop people drinking alcohol in public and requires that it be surrendered to the police. It will not be an offence to drink alcohol in the designated are but failure to comply with an officer’s request is an arrestable offence and can result in a fine of up to £500.

The proposal was made under the Safer Pembrokeshire Community Safety Partnership which includes Dyfed-Powys Police, the council and other local partners.

Temporary Chief Inspector Ross Evans has said previously: “We want people to come to Tenby and enjoy themselves, and 99 per cent of people respond very well to that. However, if they misbehave themselves and cause trouble, we will have the power to effectively challenge them, and this would be a 'first' for Pembrokeshire.”