As the drive continues to make Midsomer Norton town centre a place where everyone can go for a night out, the Town Council are bringing in two Street Marshals under the Community Alcohol Partnership initiative – starting on Friday.
The Street Marshalls, jointly funded by the Midsomer Norton Town Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council, will be in the High Street on Friday and Saturday nights from 10.00 p.m. to 3.00 a.m. Their Council-branded jackets will underline their focus on preventing antisocial behaviour and challenging perceptions about Midsomer Norton after dark.
"However harmless a group of boisterous drinkers may be in reality, for many they can prove quite intimidating and discourage large sections of the community from visiting the town. The purpose of this initiative is to help people in the High Street feel as safe as possible, so that everyone can enjoy a night out in the town," said Cllr Michael Evans, Deputy Mayor.
The scheme, fully supported by the town's Pubwatch, is being operated by Safe and Sound UK Ltd, who have been operating such schemes for various Councils since 2003 – including Bath's Taxi Marshals for B&NES and Night Watch for the Bath Business Improvement District (BID).
B&NES Councillor, David Dixon, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: "Midsomer Norton Town Council has done a great deal to improve the High Street to provide a more pleasant and welcoming environment for residents and visitors. I welcome this scheme which builds on recent improvements in the town centre, but more importantly responds to requests from residents for improved safety."
The scheme will operate for a trial period of six months, at which point there will be a review of its success and a decision made as to its future.