AMID widespread concern over the new licensing laws which came into effect yesterday (Thursday), authorities in Haslemere are putting plans into action to reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour.

Surrey Police has launched several initiatives to minimise the risks feared by employing tactics including £80 fines for being drunk and disorderly, maintaining a visible presence in hotspots and employing the use of CCTV and police dogs in town centres.

They will also be visiting licensed premises, particularly those with a reputation for alcohol-related disorder, to make sure they remain within their legal remit.

Surrey Police has also launched a crackdown on alcohol-related anti-social and violent behaviour as part of a national Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign, which will run until Christmas Eve.

The campaign will see officers working with partner agencies, such as Surrey Fire and Rescue and trading standards to tackle alcohol-related disorder, as well as targeting those involved in the illegal selling of alcohol to under 18s.

Under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, officers have the power to disperse groups who are intimidating or alarming to members of the public.

The Assistant Chief Constable of Surrey Police, Craig Denholm, said: "Everyone wants to go out and have a good time over Christmas and new year. We are just asking them to think of others at this festive time and make sure they don't ruin the holiday season for anyone else."

On Haslemere High Street, The Swan Inn, which is a branch of the Wetherspoon's chain, has extended its opening hours to 9 am until 11-30 pm from Sunday to Wednesday, 9 am to midnight on Thursday and from 9 am until 1 am on Friday and Saturday.

The national chain feels that it is not going to disrupt the previous operation of the pub in Haslemere greatly and that the law is beneficial as it gives consumers more choice.

"All of our staff are given ongoing training to ensure the pubs are run well. We do not see the new hours causing any major problems," said the spokesman for Wetherspoon's.

"A lot of people have been asking us if we are going to be open 24 hours a day, but we were never going to do that. We are going to be licensed from 9 am to sell alcohol, but we feel that morning trade is going to be mainly coffees and breakfasts."

The White Horse, also located on the High Street, is now going to be open until 12 am on weekends giving one extra hour of drinking time and it will close on 11-30 pm on week nights.

The Inn on the Green in Wey Hill is leaving its weekday hours unchanged, but it is going to be staying open until 1 am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Licensing officers from Chichester District Council have been working with Sussex Police this week by visiting a number of licensed premises with more visits planned over the next month.

Officers will be speaking to landlords and managers about the new act, their new responsibilities and the premises will be subject to checks to make sure procedures are being complied with.

"The majority of licensed premises in the district are run very responsibly," said Chichester district commander Mark Eyre.

"However, targeted police visits and both covert and overt multi-agency operations will continue to be directed towards those premises associated with crime and disorder incidents in particular offences involving assaults, drunkenness, damage, drug dealing and anti-social behaviour."

There had been recent concern that many premises throughout the county were not going to meet the deadline for licence applications as all pubs and clubs had to transfer their licences across to the new system.

In October, only one in four of the 4,000 licensed premises in the county had applied for a new licence or a transfer of a licence.

However the situation dramatically improved as the deadline drew closer with more than 99 per cent of premises having now lodged their applications.

"We are pleased at how seriously the local licensing industry is taking its responsibilities. There was originally some concern at the slow response to the new system but this situation has been successfully turned around," said Mr Denholm.

"We had a strict enforcement scheme in place and warned those businesses without licences that we would take swift action that could result in the closure of their premises."

Anyone now without the correct licence will be trading illegally and the council will therefore take enforcement action. Where there has been no attempt made to apply for a licence or where premises are causing a crime-and- disorder problem, action will be taken which could result in prosecution or closure.