GWENT Police are joining forces with local licensees in a bid to stop the sale of single cans of super-strength alcohol in Newport city centre.

Officers are concerned that the easy availability of cheap, super-strength alcohol – usually lager, beer or cider which is stronger than 7 per cent alcohol by volume – can pose serious health risks to drinkers and fuels anti-social behaviour and crime in the Newport city centre and surrounding areas.

Issues reported include street drinkers urinating, shouting and swearing, vomiting and even causing a danger to themselves and others by walking in front of traffic.

All off-licenses in Newport City Centre and Pill have agreed to stop selling single units of super strength alcohol and every store is displaying posters to advise customers that they do not sell single units of super strength alcohol.

PC Rachael Honey-Morris, Licensing Officer for Newport, said: “This type of alcohol is often sold cheaply, sometimes even at £1 per can and is therefore attractive to street drinkers and addicts.

“We want to make it much more difficult to obtain this particular type of drink in order to deal with some of the problems excessive alcohol can cause. Working with off-licenses is key to helping us achieve our aim of reducing the health risks, anti-social behaviour and crime associated with excessive drinking.”

She added: “This scheme is just one part of our strategy to tackle alcohol-related, anti-social behaviour and crime. In the longer term, the whole community will benefit from such measures; not only will the risks to health be reduced, but in addition we will be creating a safer and more attractive environment, which can be only a positive thing for our local shops, pubs and clubs in the lead up to Christmas and with the regeneration of the city centre.”