FOUR people were barred from a Bicester pub after drug tests at the door showed high readings.

More than 200 people were tested before entering Yates’s in Sheep Street on Saturday.

Police officers from the Bicester Town Neighbourhood team carried out the operation which sees customers’ hands swabbed for traces of drugs.

The four people who had high readings were searched and stopped from going inside.

Pc James Waterson, from the Bicester Town Neighbourhood team, said: “This will hopefully reassure our communities that a multi-agency approach is being taken to manage the night-time economy and reduce violent crime and alcohol-related incidents.

“In May, an identical operation was carried out at another public house in Sheep Street, which resulted in over 600 customers being swabbed during a four-hour period, with one arrest made.”

Meanwhile, off licences in the town all passed tests making sure they were not selling alcohol to children, it has been revealed.

Ten shops were subject to undercover operations run by officers from Bicester Town Neighbourhood Team and licensing officers from Cherwell District Council last month.

Pc Waterson said: “It’s reassuring to see first-hand that our local licensees are fulfilling their duty to stop underage sales. The premises tested were oblivious to this operation, so I hope this is a true reflection of their daily practices.”

In each case, the children were asked for proof of age and subsequently refused the sale of the alcohol.

 

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