Police are urging those attending the Melrose Sevens to ensure alcohol doesn’t ruin their weekend.
The tournament will take place between Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th April and it is anticipated tens of thousands of rugby fans will visit the town over the two days, many of whom will visit Melrose’s licensed premises during their stay.
Local officers have been liaising with bar staff and door stewards ahead of the Sevens to remind employees of their licensing responsibilities and ensure that any offences that take place on licensed premises are reported to police immediately.
Those visiting the area for the tournament, along with members of the local community, are reminded to drink responsibility and keep themselves safe while out and about within Melrose.
Police will also be focusing on tackling underage drinking and anyone under the age of 18 who is found either within the rugby ground, on the street or within a licensed premises consuming alcohol will have their drink taken from them and may face further police action.
Inspector Mike Bennett from Galashiels Police station said: “This is always a really exciting time for Melrose, with several fantastic sevens teams taking part in the world-renowned tournament and thousands of spectators coming from all over to visit the area.
“We know from previous experience that our licensed premises in Melrose are well-frequented during this weekend and while the overwhelming majority of the public know their limits and behave appropriately, a small minority find themselves involved in incidents of violence and disorder that often stem from drinking too much.
“Local officers will be out on high-visibility patrols throughout the tournament to engage with the community and deter any criminal activity and we have already done a lot of work with the licensed premises within Melrose as part of our commitment to reduce alcohol-related offences.
“This will undoubtedly be an excellent weekend of rugby and the Scottish Borders provides a beautiful setting for enjoying the night-time economy but please make sure your weekend is memorable for all the right reasons.
“For more information on staying safe while out in town please visit our website at http://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/personal-safety/party-safe.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
