Liberation Day celebrations have been hailed a major success. A year ago the party atmosphere turned sour when alcohol-fuelled violence and disorder in Town led to 19 arrests.

Magistrate Russell Finch then compared St Peter Port on Liberation Day to Dodge City before the arrival of Wyatt Earp.

But it was all different yesterday.

Sixteen people were arrested between 3pm yesterday and 3am today, only seven were detained for public order offences in and around Town in connection with Liberation Day.

And organisers, police and publicans have described the 59th anniversary of liberation from German occupation as a fun and family-orientated day.

‘It’s been a fantastic day with loads of people, especially young people, coming into Town and most importantly everybody seems to have enjoyed themselves,’ said Liberation Day Committee president Mike Best.

Last year, North Beach car park was the scene of much of the disorder but there were also fights outside pubs across Town as the festivities took an unsavoury twist.

Of the seven arrested this year in Town, three were involved in a fight at the North Beach fairground at 9pm. Four people will appear in court this morning charged with public order offences.

Home Department minister Mike Torode was disappointed with the disorder that came to characterise last year’s Liberation Day but believes this year was different.

‘It was a very pleasant day with everybody enjoying themselves. ‘The arrangements, as have the licensed venues at the end of the piers, seemed to work remarkably well. I would be surprised if there was not a punch-up in Town but there was relatively little excessive drunkenness in what was a family day.

‘All you can hope is that the message gets across to people and it seems that it has,’ said Deputy Torode.

Mr Best said that an increase in high-visibility policing and the combined efforts of organisers, publicans and breweries had all made an impact.

‘You are always going to have a minority of people who are going to misbehave – just like on any busy Town night – but I think the efforts we have all gone to have meant the day has been pleasant and happy.’

He added that 9 May falling on a Sunday might also have helped because of the different licensing arrangements.

Prior to Sunday’s celebrations, 15 people were arrested over the weekend for a range of offences including possession of an offensive weapon, assault and drink driving.

‘This year things have gone very well in what has been a good humoured, family orientated affair with no particular problems,’ said a police spokesman.

Publicans also believed that this year’s 9 May had been a success.

‘This has been the best Liberation Day in the last five years,’ said Bankers Draught licensee Suzanne Pontin. ‘It had a really nice and friendly, family atmosphere.’

The weather and new plastic bottles had helped.

‘It makes for such a better atmosphere if people can wander about with their drinks and we all don’t have to worry about problems with glass. And with the weather being so good people do want to be outside and that helps make the pubs less crowded.’

Ship and Crown licensee Mark Pontin said that it had been a fantastic day with a good, friendly family atmosphere.

Mr Best said that given the number of people who attended the Town party, he did not feel the number of arrests was out of proportion. It was not fair to blame all of last year’s, or this year’s, disorder on the fact that there was entertainment available.

He added that the committee had striven to maintain a balance between commemorative and celebratory events but that as the memories faded there was a need to keep 9 May as Guernsey’s national day.