Sir,
Last Saturday (March 20), walking children home through High Street and Tudor Square at 9.15pm in the evening you would have witnessed a fight in the Sun Inn, the heavy presence of doormen on the pubs adjoining the square and bouncers at the Wimpy. The feeling of intimidation was palpable. Is this really a gentle seaside town anymore?
Whilst welcoming the changes in the licensing laws and the obvious desire by most publicans to treat visitors warmly, there has to be some consideration for the society they are threatening and the choice of clients they continue to serve. The message some premises are actively endorsing, by encouraging drinkers to finish fights round the corner away from the cctv and to 'make sure you vomit' before you are allowed re-entry, seems to go against all the ideas of café culture that the town is promoting.
To witness someone at four o'clock in the afternoon lurch into the main street solely to vomit in front of a family on their first visit to the town and then to watch the seagulls devour the half-digested stomach remains splattered in front of them, with no one seeming to see this as unusual, begs the question: What monster has been unleashed? What sort of town does Tenby really want to be?
Two types of visitors are gradually emerging: Those who enjoy the beach with their family and the open, safe feel of the town during the day and those who are recovering from hang-overs who emerge for an evening to indulge their hobby of binge drinking. If it is to be a drinking factory someone should tell the café owners so that everyone can cash in as quickly as possible. This new drinking culture is turning many suburban towns into violent 'no-go' areas. Has Tenby joined the trend?
The granting of a liquor licence does not necessarily mean they also have to have an entertainment licence. From this October, community groups as well as individuals will have a say in these applications. Noise, nuisance and anti-social behaviour should not be left to the police to object to alone. Tenby can and should change, but it doesn't have to be in the gutter to provide a better holiday for visitors. Platitudes for controlled drinking do not match the reality. And this is only March!
Richard Walker,
Lexden Terrace,
Tenby.