Leytonstone's street-booze ban deemed illegal

Powers to seize alcohol from public drinkers in Leytonstone have been used unlawfully for the past four years, due to a council error.

An alcohol restriction zone (ARZ) was implemented in the Leytonstone High Road area in 2004 to give police the power to order people to surrender alcohol if an officer "reasonably believes" that he or she intends to consume it in public. It covers dozens of streets around Leytonstone High Road, was the first in Waltham Forest, and has been hailed as a success by councillors, officers and police officers.

However when officials recently began to put together plans for a similar scheme covering Walthamstow High Street, they realised a major mistake had been made in the designation of the original Leytonstone ARZ four years ago. The zone had never been ratified by a meeting of full council, contrary to the Criminal and Justice Act 2001. This means that the zone has never been valid, and the council has now advised police they cannot lawfully enforce the alcohol restrictions.

Read the rest of this news item from the Epping Forest Guardian here