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Off licences in an area plagued by St Patrick’s Day trouble have agreed to close on the big day in a bid to stop trouble erupting.

The voluntary booze ban, in Belfast’s Holylands area, comes as a senior police officer has warned that alcohol will be confiscated from street drinkers across the city.

Chief Executive of pubs and offies campaign group Hospitality Ulster, Colin Neill, welcomed the move. But he also called on the supermarkets to do the same.

He said: “I can understand both sides of this debate. I have sympathy with residents of the Holylands, who have been subjected to unacceptable behaviour on St Patrick’s Day, year after year. However, I also have sympathy for the local Off-sales and commend them for voluntarily agreeing to close.

“We know that this is only one element to the so called ‘street-party’ problem and the majority of alcohol is most likely purchased in supermarkets at rock bottom prices in the days leading up to the event. I call on the supermarkets to match the actions of the local Off-sales and stop deliveries of alcohol into the Holylands area on St Patrick’s Day and the day before.

(Image: Justin Kernoghan)

“Hospitality Ulster will be doing all that it can in co-operation with the PSNI and others to ensure any trouble is minimised on the day, though in our view this problem goes far beyond the sale of alcohol and can only be addressed by a proper strategy to rebalance the mix of residents locally which has become unbalanced in favour of student accommodation.”

Also today, police in Belfast said they are are “asking everyone attending the St Patrick’s Day celebrations on Friday to enjoy them safely and respectfully”.

Superintendent Melanie Jones added: “We are expecting a large number of visitors to the City on Friday to enjoy the carnival and family friendly atmosphere. We will have an operation in place in conjunction with our partners to help everyone enjoy the day safely and legally.

“In the past, overindulgence in alcohol has led some people to act in a way they would never do when sober. This has previously resulted in assaults, damage to property and annoyance to others and we are making it clear that this behaviour is not acceptable.

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“As in previous years, we will be working alongside Belfast City Council and in South Belfast, with Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster, the Belfast Met and local schools, who will again proactively encourage young people and students to stay off the streets of the Holyland on St Patrick’s Day.

“We are planning joint enforcement patrols with Belfast City Council’s Antisocial Behaviour Officers to seize alcohol from anyone drinking in the street and to minimise antisocial behaviour in general. Students who become involved in rowdy or disorderly behaviour risk disciplinary action by their universities, colleges and schools.”

The senior officer warned that ending up in a criminal record “can affect travel, education and employment opportunities in the future”.