Public advised to control drinking and plan journey home ahead of time
By Tim Williams
The ‘be social, be sensible, be safe’ campaign was launched this month after a Safer Merton survey found many partygoers may overdo it this festive season.
The survey, given to office workers around Merton, found 90% of those asked underestimated how many units are in a large glass of wine and 70% didn’t know how many units are in a pint of cider, beer or lager.
The campaign aims to encourage people to make the most of the local nightlife during the festive season but to think about what they are drinking to ensure they get home safely.
Up to 60% of those interviewed admitted that they drank to make their office Christmas parties more fun, with 5% confessing they couldn’t remember anything of their night due to alcohol consumption.
Councillor Edith Macauley, Merton Council cabinet member for community safety, engagement and equalities, said: “Christmas is a great time to get together and have fun with friends and colleagues.
“Our ‘be social’ campaign is about telling people to make the most of it and enjoy Merton’s nightlife but to do so in a responsible way.
“Merton is one of the safest boroughs in London, but we know that alcohol related behaviour is a concern for residents.
“We hope to address issues and make sure everyone can feel safe and enjoy the town centres at Christmas and throughout the year.”
One of the main concerns addressed in the ‘be social’ scheme was how revellers got home from a night out, with 10% of people asked admitting they got home however they can.
Safer Merton is urging people to plan their journey home ahead of time by using CabWise, which replies to texts with the numbers of two licensed nearby taxi firms.
Partygoers are advised to add the CabWise text number 60835 to their mobile phones.
