hagar the horrible

Ticket for 2 passengers and car or van up to 6.5 meters departing Douglas Sat 28th May 7.45am returning from Heysham Weds 8th June 14.15 paid £326.50 yous for £250 or best offer telephone Tony on 834327

PM details and price. Thank you.

Goliath.

Both Trump and Putin are desperate to retain control, if they lose it they will be found out.

Beware, the angels from Africa are coming.

Will someone please take the launch keys off this nutter before he goes into total meltdown.

Mostly radicalised gun toting racists? remember the Alamo Yippee.

When PE marine lab closed the bay lost it's cheap student labour and it's best customers in one fell swoop.

What will they call it, The Cosy Nook Carbuncle?

There is much more stone at the Toot end in recent years, in my opinion due to the commissioners raking the the beach, over the past few years they have transported tons of sand from the Toot end to the Cosy Nook end using a digger, tractor and trailer, I used to live on Port Erin beach in the mid to late 50's, and I don't remember any stones between the stream and and the flight of steps at the Toot end, we had to cross over the stream to get stones to decorate sandcastles.

Red brick building just before harbour, formerly George Herdman institute,given to people of Port Erin as a library and snooker hall, sadly sold into private hands by PE commissioners despite many objections, I used to play for the snooker team in the sixties

Geese disappeared just before Christmas.

Port Erin beach WAS wonderful, sadly ruined as continuous ploughing by the comissioners has spread tons of stones all over it.

Rebuild Mrs Pearson will be turning in her grave.

Full of shit too.

If I use my Karcher pressure washer with a water supply from a bucket or some other container which I top up from the kitchen tap am I breaking the hosepipe ban?

Manipulate.

In the 60's we used to go to the Dogs early Saturday evening before going to the disco at the Goose.

Report of the Chief Constable to the triennial session of the Licensing Court February 2015 Your Worships, I am grateful to you for allowing me to address you at the beginning of the triennial sessions of the Court. My attendance here today is in part intended to demonstrate the importance of licensing issues to the Isle of Man Constabulary. Few things have greater, more far-reaching or more deeply embedded implications for the safety of our community than does the sale, supply, consumption or misuse of alcohol. I speak to you as a supporter of the Isle of Man’s licensing trade. I should declare an interest: for a number of generations my family was involved in the trade and I both understand and advocate the important role that public houses in particular can play in community life. Well run, well maintained, attractive premises can help keep a community together; they can help the elderly who are at risk of isolation and they can play a part in helping to teach young people about how to drink safely. Very often, they can be the hub of a small community. Conversely, when badly run, or when allowed to deteriorate, they can have a significantly adverse effect on quality of life of the people who live nearby. The role of these sessions in seeking to regulate the trade is of fundamental importance. This is not a bureaucratic exercise that simply happens every three years. Instead, it is a regular opportunity to reinforce standards, address new and emerging threats and to deal appropriately with any licence holders who are not consistently applying the highest possible standards. As I will report, standards are generally high, but that is not universally the case and I will set out where I see future threats. Preparation for the triennial sessions is a major undertaking for the Constabulary. This year, after dialogue with your Worships, we have adopted a slightly more focused approach than has been the case in recent triennial sessions. The last three sets of sessions have caused us to examine in considerable depth every single set of licensed premises. The more focused approach taken this time will allow your Worships the time to scrutinise a number of renewal applications, where there are grounds for concern, or where the nature of the premises is such that high levels of scrutiny will always be appropriate. The approach taken this year will not necessarily have implications for the sessions in three or six years’ time. It is entirely feasible that in future we may again examine all renewal applications in the way that we have done before. This year eight categories of premises – in both the on and off licence trades – have been required to attend the sessions. The reasons for requiring attendance are: 1. Smoking: where the Constabulary or, in some cases, local authorities, have identified problems with smoking outside or in the immediate vicinity of premises; or where the supervision of smoking areas is a problem, applicants have been asked to attend; 2. CCTV: where the installation, maintenance or management of CCTV have been found to be inadequate, or in some cases to be below the minimum standards set within the Court approved code of practice, then the applicants concerned have been required to attend; 3. Non-attendance or involvement in trade groups: it is critically important that all licence holders play a part in schemes such as Pubwatch. Anyone who has chosen not to be involved, or who has been found simply to be paying lip service to any such scheme, has been asked to attend; 4. All late night premises: any establishment open after 1am, even when consistently run to excellent standards, runs the risk of being the source of policing or community problems. So as to reinforce the importance of adhering to such standards, all applicants for the renewal of such licenses have been asked to attend; 5. Fire safety: the Constabulary has worked closely with the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service to identify any premises where the safety of the public may possibly be compromised. Any such applicants have been required to attend; 6. Close scrutiny of all of the renewal applications has led to some discrepancies in information being identified. Where those discrepancies are not simply as a result of a clerical error, at your request applicants for renewal have been asked to attend so that you may examine the issue in more detail; 7. Demand on the Constabulary: it is absolutely the case that the calling of the police to premises should not be held against a licence holder or a designated official. It was once a commonly held view that the more often the police attended a set of premises, the worse it was being run and the more likely the licence holder was to lose their livelihood. This actually led to a reluctance to call the police, which in turn led to small problems becoming big ones, and to a steady reduction in standards. Licence holders and designated officials must call the police for advice, support or immediate attendance when trouble occurs. This will not be held against them. However, some premises have been called to the sessions because police attendance is too frequent an event caused, to a significant degree, by the way in which the premises are being run. Additionally, the attitude of some applicants towards drinks promotions has given rise to some concerns. I will touch upon the matter of drinks promotions in more detail later, but where the licence holder of particularly busy premises seeks to run frequent promotions, then more rigorous scrutiny is necessary. Where either of these factors is the case, applicants have been required to attend; 8. Miscellaneous problems: some licence holders have been called to attend for reasons that vary from premises to premises, but which may be summarised as revolving around concerns that the Constabulary has in regards to the licence holder’s attitude towards his or her obligations, or where the business model of the premises concerned needs closer examination; I would stress, though, that the number of premises in each of these categories is small and this is testament to the generally high standards that prevail. Your Worships have been provided with some data relating to alcohol matters. I do not intend to analyse that data during this address. However, I do want to take the opportunity to highlight one or two important issues. In 2014 the Isle of Man government released its first strategic needs assessment, which sought to identify important social issues. The abuse of alcohol featured prominently within that study. The latest data, some of which has been made available to your Worships, reiterates the problems that alcohol misuse is causing. For example, around half of all arrests involve alcohol; two-thirds of those arrested over the age of 62 were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their arrest and over half of people arrested in the 22-25 and 50-53 age groups were similarly intoxicated at the time of their arrest. The figures for older people are particularly worrying and they replicate the findings of the strategic needs assessment, which found dangerous levels of alcohol abuse particularly amongst middle-aged and elderly men. The societal and health dangers are considerable and much needs to be done if this is not to become a very real problem. The data also shows that two-thirds of all arrests between 10pm and 5am are because of alcohol and every arrest for criminal damage during this time is due to intoxication. Criminal damage remains the most prevalent recorded crime in the Island and, as is therefore clear, its roots largely lie in drunkenness. I will not labour too much on the data, as it largely tells us what most of us already know: some people drink to excess; some people are aggressive and violent when drunk; others commit idiotic acts of vandalism when drunk; and there are links between domestic abuse and alcohol. Alcohol misuse is to some degree a cultural issue, but it is a societal one that we all – and not just the licensing trade - have a role to play in addressing. I think it important at this point to touch briefly on the work of the court. More than 800 matters have been listed during the last three years, an average of more than 270 cases a year. So, even in times of comparative economic difficulty, there is a lot of licensing activity within the trade. Furthermore, some of the cases have been especially complex and time consuming. Indeed, there are signs that this increasing complexity is becoming the norm. Regrettably the resources that I have been able to dedicate to licensing matters have reduced. Those resources are now, in my professional opinion, at an irreducible level. Were I to have to make further reductions in respect of our alcohol work, then I would predict that much of the progress we have made in recent years would be at risk of unravelling. I will do all my in power to prevent this from happening. I will now attempt to offer a short general survey of the state of the licensing trade from the perspective of the Constabulary. In doing so I would acknowledge the significant, continuing economic pressures that the trade has faced since the last triennial sessions of the court in 2012. Those pressures have now been a constant feature for perhaps seven or eight years. There is always a danger that financial pressures will lead to a race to the bottom, where ever more aggressive price reductions, accompanied by new ways of marketing, will lead to a diminution of standards. Thankfully, signs of this have been relatively few, but I am concerned that some licence holders have sailed close to the wind by running drinks promotions that have placed adherence to standards behind profits. Anyone who does this will endanger their licence and I am happy to make clear that the Constabulary’s approach in regards to this will not at all diminish in the years ahead. Standards within the trade – in both on and off sectors – are generally high. Indeed, some of the concerns that I might previously have aired about the off trade in particular have to some degree been allayed, as in particular standards of training have led to an improvement in compliance with the law. We have a good licensing trade here, which generally strives very hard to meet its obligations, but we must not become complacent and the focus on standards that has been driven by your Worships and by the Constabulary must be relentless. A key driver of standards has been the willingness of trade bodies to work with the police. The licensing forum is an important example of this, as it brings together a whole range of individuals and organisations as it seeks to deliver continuous improvement across the whole of the trade. The work of the forum is commendable and I would expect its influence on standards and on licensing policy to increase over the next triennial period. As your Worships will be aware, the forum has played an extensive role in the production of the new licensing code of practice, the production of which is an important development. No longer will the trade be following standards that have, at least in part, been set in the United Kingdom. The code sets out standards that will apply across the trade in the Isle of Man and which reflect our unique circumstances, the expectations of the public and the requirements of the court and the Constabulary. I must stress, though, that the code has not been a paper exercise: it sets out the very least that the trade must do and compliance is not optional. Other trade bodies, notably the Licensed Victuallers Association, play a vital role in delivering improvements, in representing the views of licence holders and in offering some degree of protection to the free trade. I am on safe ground when I say that the standards seen in premises run by members of the Association are generally higher than elsewhere. Any licence holder who is not a member ought to join it and licence holders who employ designated officials would benefit if they allowed and encouraged their staff to do likewise. In some quarters I detect reluctance on the part of employers to allow this to happen. Turning now to training: much of the trade has shown a willingness both to participate in and help design training initiatives. This is commendable and I am firmly of the view that the future sustainability of the licensing trade will have to be based upon a constant focus on improvement. The best way of achieving this will be to keep trying to improve the quality and skills of those involved in licensing, irrespective of their roles. I have said that standards are generally high. As a small Island community we should be proud of this. That said, there are warning signs beginning to show that offer me some cause for concern. Levels of drunkenness are not declining and, indeed, there is some evidence that they are beginning to increase. We are still a long way from some of the worst excesses of the 1990s and early 2000s, but everyone in the trade has an absolute responsibility to make sure that drunkenness is limited. And limiting drunkenness only comes from consistent, constant adherence to standards and to the law. Violence remains comparatively rare in and immediately outside on licensed premises. We must however be vigilant to ensure that serving practices and standards in general remain high. Complacency must not be allowed to creep in. The Constabulary has its part to play. The commendable efforts over the years of the Alcohol Unit are only part of our work. The supervision of licensed premises by neighbourhood officers is generally good, but it could be better. In the years ahead officers will be required to be more intrusive than they might have been in recent times. This intrusion will most notably be seen in cases where individuals are found to be so drunk that they pose a threat to the safety of others, or where they are so drunk that they expose themselves to danger. In such cases officers will seek to determine where they obtained their drink. If they were served when drunk, then those serving them will face investigation. The Constabulary has not prosecuted anyone for serving to a drunk for more than six years. This is either a sign of very high standards, an indication of a lack of police focus, or more likely a combination of the two. I do not underestimate the difficulties that face licence holders and designated officials. Determining who is drunk, or how much someone has had to drink is not at all easy. However, improvements to staff training, especially for those who work on doors, or those who actually serve alcohol are of paramount importance. Some progress has been made, but there is more that the trade can do. I have considerable sympathy with the trade in regards to the practice known as pre-loading. (By this I mean the way in which people – young people in particular – drink large amounts of alcohol in private premises before visiting licensed premises late in the evening.) The Constabulary frequently encounters young people who are very drunk because they have consumed large quantities of alcohol before they have even attempted to enter licensed premises. This type of drinking is dangerous and it exposes people to real risk of harm. Significantly it can lay open licence holders and their staff to sanctions if they do not properly assess the state of inebriation of the people they are serving. It is not at all easy for them, but they have an absolute duty to get this right. A significant factor in pre-loading is the price of alcohol. It is far, far cheaper to drink at home than it is to drink in licensed premises, especially those that open late at night. To an extent, therefore, I can understand why people indulge in this practice. And the pricing of alcohol remains an important issue in several different ways. At times the off trade continues to sell alcohol very cheaply indeed. This is having a deleterious effect on the on trade, as more and more people drink at home, either by way of pre-loading or simply by not visiting on trade premises. In turn this sometimes causes the on trade to indulge in drinks promotions. Empirical research from other jurisdictions shows quite clearly the harm that drinks promotions can cause, both in terms of the damage to public health, and in regards to the negative impact on community safety. My officers will continue to work with your Worships and with the trade itself to set proper, sensible and effective standards for drinks promotions. I should make my own view clear: in the main I am opposed to drinks promotions, but I accept that the on trade in particular faces challenges in remaining competitive. I fully accept that the off trade must do all that it can to make a profit. I also acknowledge the great improvements that the off trade has continued to make in terms of how it adheres to standards. However, I believe the time has now come for the government to consider introducing some form of minimum pricing per unit of alcohol. The benefits of minimum unit pricing would likely be considerable, in terms of public health and in terms of reducing demand on the police. In the Isle of Man there would also likely be an increase in activity in the on trade and a vibrant, healthy, well run night time economy is a good thing. Anyone who doubts the likely effect should read research conducted by the University of Sheffield and quoted in the British Medical Journal in 2014. Another difficulty that the trade faces is the complexity of the law. My predecessor spoke about this at the last triennial sessions and at that time the need for a complete overhaul of licensing law was seen as a priority. Sadly nothing of any real substance has happened. I know that priorities change and that the legislators and those who draft legislation have congested agenda, but the need for a complete rewriting of the Licensing Act is obvious to anyone who has anything to do with licensing matters. The Licensing Forum is now well placed and well equipped so as to allow it to play a big part in any such work. I would now urge policy makers to allow the Forum to begin work. It would be deeply disappointing if progress has not been made before the next triennial sessions in 2018. There is evidence that some parts of the trade have invested heavily and wisely in their premises. This is commendable and I hold the firm opinion that the quality of the licensed environment has a significant effect on the behaviour of drinkers. Well maintained, clean and well decorated premises encourage sensible drinking and good behaviour. On the other hand, despite the improvements seen in many places, some premises have deteriorated so that they have become scruffy and untidy in appearance. I would urge the owners of those premises to make the improvements that are necessary. If improvements are not made, then the police will not hesitate to take whatever steps are necessary to bring about action. Some licence holders are here today as a result of the Constabulary’s close working relationship with local authorities. Reflecting the views of many members of the public, some local authorities have become concerned at the amount of litter that is caused by people smoking outside licensed premises. The management of smoking areas is not always as good as it ought to be and too many people feel that it is acceptable to drop cigarette ends in the street. So far the Constabulary and local authorities have been very restrained in regards to enforcement action. Unless the trade does more to supervise outside smoking and to encourage its clientele not to drop litter, then enforcement action will increase. We have not yet reached the stage where we have opposed licences on the basis of poor management of smoking areas, but unless standards improve the time is approaching when we will do so. No one can say that they have not been warned. I have listed some important issues that in my opinion affect both parts of the trade. The uninformed listener might form the view that I perceive there to be significant problems. I would repeat my view that the Island has a good licensing trade that is seeking to do its best. What I have done is highlight some of the issues that have emerged or crystallised in the last three years. Looking ahead, I can see some interesting challenges on the horizon. One is the size of the on trade: the deterioration in the quality and appearance of some premises is perhaps a sign that there are too many public houses. I believe that this is the case and I know that many people within the trade are themselves coming to this conclusion. A rationalisation of the on trade would be a good thing, so long as standards remain high and so long as there is choice and variety. Another challenge is that of the use of technology particularly in on premises. Technology will allow new ways of serving customers and bring with it real opportunities to change the trade for the better. However, it will also bring risks and one risk will be that safe serving practices fall victim to innovative use of technology. The law is largely at least fifty years old and the next iteration of the Licensing Act must deal properly with the role of technology in licensing, just as it must properly address issues around the wholesale supply of alcohol and the use of the internet to make purchases. Even without the use of technology there will be a drive to change serving practices. An example of this is the desire of some licence holders to allow spirits to be served in such a way that a customer simply buys a whole bottle, which they keep on a table for the duration of their visit. This might appear to be a sophisticated approach that meets modern service expectations. Unless changes such as this are accompanied by even higher and more robust standards of supervision than is generally the case, considerable dangers will lie ahead. If licence holders seek to adopt the latest in serving fashions, then they must concurrently employ the latest and best supervisory techniques. I will turn now to an important issue that affects both the on and off trades: the role of the police in planning matters. I believe there has historically been a lack of clarity, or indeed almost deliberate obfuscation in regards to how the police have approached applications for new licences. This has caused difficulties at a number of levels and has led to the court having to examine some high profile applications in minute detail. I would like to make the Constabulary’s position entirely clear. The Constabulary has not and will never have an economic or commercial opinion in regards to applications for licences. The law of the market must apply. Premises will survive, thrive or fail depending on how well they are run, how attractive they are and what they offer. A stagnant trade would be a disaster and new operators need every possible opportunity to enter the market. The Constabulary will, though, continue to focus in relentless and robust fashion on the suitability of applicants for licenses, on the suitability of premises and on the likely impact of the premises on the local community and on public safety. Where we make objection it will be on one or more of these grounds. In the case of an off licence, for example we might focus on parking issues outside the premises. In the past my predecessors have objected to having off licences in petrol filling stations. They saw a conflict. I do not. The issue is entirely about the quality of the premises and the people running them. We will not have a view about the number of licensed premises that there are in a particular location. Those that are well run will be successful; those that are not will fail. We will, though, make sure that we protect the general public, so that their lives are not adversely affected by new or existing premises. In closing, I would thank your Worships for indulging me. I think it important, though, that my views and the operational policy of the Constabulary are unequivocally articulated and widely known. I would also wish to thank Sergeant Newburn and her team for the excellence of their work. The Alcohol Unit and its healthy and positive relationships with the trade are very important and the sense of partnership that has been created must continue. And finally, I would thank the trade itself: as I have said, we have a good trade and this is good for our community. Gary Roberts Chief Constable RepoFebruary 2015

I'll cast the runes for 4 Pennies.

Sooty.

Leiden.

American.

Divine.