Alcohol in Public Spaces — A Consultation Worth Knowing About

Another one from the Council's consultation list, and this one also covers Hammersmith Park.

Hammersmith & Fulham is asking for views on renewing its borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order covering alcohol consumption in public places. The consultation closes on 9 September.

The order gives police officers and authorised council officers the power to ask someone to stop drinking and to hand over or dispose of their alcohol — but only where their behaviour is causing, or is likely to cause, anti-social behaviour. It is not a ban on drinking in public. The Council makes that point explicitly, and it's worth repeating, because PSPOs are often reported as though they were. Refusing a lawful request can lead to a £100 fine or prosecution.

These powers have been in place in the borough since 2017. The current order came into force in October 2023 and expires on 19 October 2026. PSPOs are time-limited by law, so the Council has to consult afresh if it wants them to continue.

The Council has written to Friends of Parks groups directly, and has said it is particularly interested in hearing about specific locations and issues. If you use Hammersmith Park or the Japanese Garden of Peace and have a view either way, it's worth putting on the record.

Take part at the Responsible Consumption of Alcohol consultation page.

The Council's annual parks satisfaction survey is also open at the moment, closing on 21 September. We've written about that separately.