PUBLICANS reacted angrily to yesterday’s news of a Liberation Day drink ban. A number contacted the Guernsey Press surprised at how swiftly the law had been passed and appalled that they hadn’t been warned.

One, who did not wish to be named, accused the States of going back on a promise allowing islanders to have drinks along the seafront.

‘I thought the fascist regime left in 1945,’ he said.

‘In a meeting in March we were promised that plastic glasses could leave the bars.

‘You can see how quickly they’ve rushed the law through – they’ve slipped it in through the side door. They’ve gone behind our backs, lied to us and stitched us up.’

At last week’s States meeting, members approved a law allowing temporary alcohol-free zones. On Wednesday, it received royal assent and was registered by the Royal Court on Thursday.

CI Hospitality, which owns a number of pubs along the seafront, yesterday attempted to defuse the row, accepting the law had been passed.

‘We’re slightly surprised because we weren’t expecting it to come through quite so soon,’ said Kenrick Brooks, the company’s operating director for managed estates.

‘With everything new, there’s always an immediate reaction. Now it’s here, we’re just going to get on with it.’

Mr Brooks said posters would be put up in pubs owned by the group, which includes the Ship and Crown, the White Hart and the Albion.

‘It’s not our place to police this, but we’ll be doing everything we can.

‘I think most people will be understanding about it – it’s creating for Liberation Day what’s in place for the other 364 days of the year.’

But Glen Pontin, licensee of Bar One, thought it was a ridiculous idea.

‘People are allowed to drink outside my pub, but a few metres down the road, at the Albion, they won’t be.

‘There were 25 arrests last year. That’s not many out of 15,000. Perhaps, the police think there should have been 100 more.’

He was also suspicious of the decision to have the law passed so close to Liberation Day.

‘You need five working days to apply for an alfresco licence – nobody’s got a chance of getting one now.’

Another, who manages a bar along the seafront, was also shocked by the move.

‘You can’t fit 10,000 people into the pubs along the seafront,’ he said.

‘I think it will cause an horrendous amount of trouble. If this is what they’re going to introduce now, what else is going to happen?’

Guernsey Licensed Victuallers’ Association president Peter Leigh called on police not to be heavy handed when enforcing the drinking ban on Liberation Day.

‘They need to take a softly-softly approach,’ he said.

‘It’s a new law and we’re not used to it. Please everybody, have a good day – remember it’s a family day.’

Police confirmed they would be asking people with drinks to return to a non-alcohol free zone, to pour them away, or give them to an officer to dispose of.

‘The aim of the legislation is to prevent crime and prevent disruption,’ said chief inspector Ruari Hardi.

‘We’ve had the full support of the Town constables. We think it’s a positive idea and should go down well.’