STAFF at The Clarence Tavern take a firm hand when it comes to enforcing the message of anti-drink driving.
If workers spot someone after a few drinks leaving the door with their car keys they take them away.
And the pub, in Clarence Road, Gosport, is offering free soft drinks to customers who drive their friends home.
Landlady Teresa Kirby said she is backing The News’ annual Steer Clear campaign, which encourages pubs to sell soft drinks over the festive period, because it backs up what she already does.
‘It’s not just at Christmas that we make sure people aren’t drink-driving,’ she said. ‘This is something we enforce all year round. We sign up to the campaign every year because it’s important.
‘If I see anyone drinking and they’ve got their keys on them I ask them to hand them over. All my staff are very observant as well. A lot of people now just choose to give me their keys anyway.’
Barmaid Charlotte Wilson said everyone at the pub works hard to make sure people aren’t getting behind the wheel illegally.
‘It’s important that we make sure people aren’t going out and ruining other people’s lives by crashing into them,’ she said.
‘We’re lucky in that a lot of people either leave their cars at home or park them in the car park at the back of the pub.’
The Safer Portsmouth Partnership, which is made up of local agencies that help to improve community safety, is also running an anti-drink driving campaign.
As previously reported, Hampshire Constabulary figures show 97 people were arrested on suspicion of committing the offence between December 1 and 17. The figure is a 22 per cent drop during the same time last year. The arrests were made as part of the force’s Don’t Get Smashed campaign.
It is asking people to write about how they feel about drink-driving to be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher to spend on dinner at Tiger Tiger in Gunwharf Quays. Visit surveymonkey.com/s/dontgetsmashed
Pubs that have already signed up to The News Steer Clear campaign:
Fareham
n The Golden Lion
n Hoeford Inn
n The White Horse
n The Jolly Miller
Gosport
n Carisbrooke Arms
n The Foresters Arms
n The Junction Tavern
n Queens Hotel
n The Vine
n The Glencoe
n Hardy’s at Haslar
Waterlooville
n The Heroes
n The Woodpecker
n The Centurion
Cowplain
n The Spotted Cow
Havant
n The Ship Inn
Portsmouth
n The Red White and Blue, Southsea
n The Old House at Home, Milton
n The Compass Rose, Anchorage Park
n The Brewer’s Arms, Milton
n The Leopold Tavern, Southsea The Ship Anson, Portsea
n The Star & Garter, Copnor
n The Ship & Castle, Portsea
n Spice Island Inn, Old Portsmouth
n Newcome Arms, Kingston
n The Sir Alec Rose, Port Solent
n The Winchester Arms, Buckland
n Owens, Southsea
Langstone
n The Ship Inn
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