Big Brother In Essex Pubs Too?

February

20

4 comments

From the Evening Standard this week

PUBS are being told to “spy” on customers with CCTV, it emerged today.

Pub owners who have applied for a licence both in Islington and Richmond have been warned that they must first install cameras.

Publicans also have to promise to hand over to the police any footage requested. Experts said that the plan raises “serious privacy concerns” but police claim it will help to fight crime.

David Smith, the deputy information commissioner, said: “Installing surveillance in pubs to combat specific problems of rowdiness and bad behaviour may be lawful, but blanket measures where there is no history of criminal activity is likely to breach data protection requirements.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Boroughs may impose blanket rules to prevent crime and disorder.”

Other forces are adopting similar tactics. Martin Reed, a licensing officer for Essex Police, said that the force asks every licensed premises in the county which is open after 11pm to have cameras to take head shots of customers entering the building.

About the author, admin

  • Why are these headlines sensationalised?
    Who is told to spy one anyone? The answer is nobody.
    If you or you family go to a pub and some incident happens, cctv could be a godsend.
    If an incident doesn’t happen and cctv of you saved on a hard drive exists? Who cares?

  • Fair questions Dave.

    When you say a godsend, are you thinking that CCTV might be able to identify an attacker if an assault takes place – or if something like a fire happens, it would be possible to check afterwards and see who was inside?

    But the thing is, in all seriousness, where do you think the line is going to be drawn in future? Only with pubs that stay open after 11 pm? If licensed premises open after 11 pm must have them , why not all pubs, even if they close before 11 pm? And why not all cafes and shops? (I’m aware a lot of places have them anyway of course. But there’s an elememt of compulsion here, and the requirement to hand the details over to the state.) Where should the line be drawn, and who should decide?

    Incidentally, there is poll on this in the Daily Mail (not a very reliable pollthough , as it’s next to a very forceful article against surveillance:)

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1147886/JAMES-SLACK-Spy-cameras-pub–face-jail-taking-snaps-police.html

  • I read the article. Interesting but perhaps biased.
    I think the argument of having imposed cctv in pubs is very diferent to imposed cctv in cafes and shops. There is a responsibility by licensing officers to control and monitor anti social behaviour and the like at late night venues where alcohol is served, and I would gather this has been taken into account if insisting on cctv. Probably quite a sensible approach.

  • The newspapers will sensationalise of course, BUT it is still spying. We are being observed more and more, whilst at the same time being told what to do, what to eat, how to live our lives etc. The crimes figures are going up everywhere and young people are being stabbed in London weekly. The cameras don’t appear to be making any difference. It’s all a breach of our freedom and privacy in this supposedly free country.

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