Otley Run Leeds: Police target street drinkers in crackdown on Headingley pub crawl antisocial behaviour

On Saturday, officers carried out an operation to raise awareness of the Public Spaces Protection order (PSPO) covering the Headingley area, specifically targeting the Otley Run pub crawl. The PSPO bans drinking alcohol or taking drugs in public, as well as street parties.

Officers from the Inner North West Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), accompanied by officers from Leeds Anti Social Behaviour Team, carried out the operation between 12pm-6pm. They ordered 10 people to dispose of alcohol being consumed on the street.

A large number of private hire vehicles were also directed to move after causing an obstruction in the Otley Road area. Police say further operations in the area are planned.

The PSPO, introduced in 2020, covers a large area of north west Leeds including Headingley, Hyde Park, Woodhouse Moor, parts of Burley, parts of Woodhouse, Little London and Little Woodhouse. The order is in place until this summer and can be extended by Leeds City Council.

As well as making street drinking illegal, the PSPO requires that all rubbish should be left in bins, and bins must not be left on the street except for 6pm the night of collection to 9pm on the day of collection.

Earlier this year, a Leeds councillor called for more resources to crack down on unruly behaviour on the Otley Run, claiming that police are “reluctant” to arrest anti-social drinkers on the pub crawl because they have so few officers on duty.