Council holds off on tougher licensing rules for Albert Road
Tougher rules on alcohol licences in Albert Road will not be imposed after councillors heard that crime in the area is under control for now.
At a recent meeting, Portsmouth City Council’s Licensing committee discussed whether to start a consultation on turning Albert Road into a Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) – a special policy that makes it harder to get new alcohol licences in places with high levels of drink-related crime.
But police told the committee they don’t think a CIA is needed at the moment. PJ Vincent from Hampshire Police explained that the number of crimes linked to the night-time economy in Albert Road was 354 over the past year. He compared that to 657 incidents in Guildhall Walk, which already has a CIA.
He pointed out that Albert Road is a much larger area than Guildhall Walk with "significantly less crime.” He also said police are keeping a close eye on new licence applications and working closely with the council’s safety team. He reassured councillors that the situation is being handled, saying police would “discuss the CIA again”.
Councillor Lee Hunt backed the police approach but shared a past incident where he was “threatened by six men with hammers” after chasing down shoplifters. He said that before the meeting, he had supported a CIA, but added was reassured by the police.
Cllr George Madgwick showed that Albert Road, which spans 3.98 sqkm, experiences 88 crimes per square kilometre, compared with Guildhall Walk’s 413 per square kilometre in its 1.59 sqkm area.
Other councillors also raised concerns. Cllr Mason reminded everyone that Albert Road is mainly residential, so people living there are affected differently than in Guildhall Walk. Cllr Yinka Adeniran asked about how things are going so far in 2025, and was told crime in Guildhall Walk is dropping year on year.
The committee agreed not to move forward with a formal consultation. They will keep monitoring the area but believe current police efforts are adequate.