RECORDED incidents at licensed premises in the Borders increased by more than 100 over the last year, a new police report reveals.

There were 308 incidents between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024 – a hike of 102 on the last reporting period.

There are currently 472 premises in the Scottish Borders licensed to sell alcohol, members of Scottish Borders Licensing Board will be told when they meet on Friday, November 22.

Chief Constable Jo Farrell’s report for 2023/24 outlines a significant demand on police resourcing in the Borders area, especially during the summer months due to the Common Riding’s and Rugby 7s tournaments.

A total of 1,386 crimes of violence were recorded within the Borders area for the period from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.

Of those reported crimes a total of 286 (20.6 per cent) were alcohol-related, which is a slight reduction in volume but similar in proportion to the previous year.

Members are to be told that there are currently two active licensed premises trading until 3am and one venue trading until 2am at the weekends, with annual occasional extensions for some Common Riding town balls extending their usual business hours.

The report states: “The proactive use of exclusion orders and anti-social behaviour legislation continues to contribute hugely to reducing repeat offending in licensed premises.

“The misuse of alcohol is regularly cited as a contributory factor in relation to crimes of violence, domestic abuse, disorder and antisocial behaviour occurring on our street and within our homes.

“In addition, alcohol is also known to lower inhibitions which can have an impact on people’s lives, both resulting in them becoming victims of crime, as well as the perpetrator, which can have serious consequences for individuals and their families.

“We continue to ensure there is a concerted focus on the issues surrounding the sale and supply of alcohol within our communities and work together in partnership with licensed premises and other agencies to promote responsible trading practices, ultimately keeping people safe.”