'Dry bar' for youngsters finds permanent home (From Gazette & Herald)

'Dry bar' for youngsters finds permanent home

AN ALCOHOL-FREE youth pub to take teenagers off the streets of Ryedale has been so successful that permanent premises will be opened next month.

Last November, when community safety partnership Safer Ryedale started the "dry bar" scheme to provide a safe place for young people in Malton and Norton to socialise, it was immediately popular.

About 40 to 45 teenagers regularly attended a back room at The George Inn, Yorkersgate, Malton, but when the pub changed hands in May the dry bar moved to the YMCA Cyber Caf on the same street, and plans were hatched to find a permanent home for it.

"The reason young people get into problems is boredom," said Youth Action Officer for Ryedale, PC Stewart Ashton. "The lack of leisure pursuits can lead to them getting into under-age drinking and drugs. The dry bar can help stop this problem at it's cause.

"It's very destructive for young people if, just through boredom, they end up doing something stupid and they end up in the criminal justice system. It can affect the rest of their lives.

"I think we proved with the skate park in Norton that this kind of work has a positive effect, not just for young people, but for others living in the area."

After a lengthy search PC Ashton found a large hall to lease owned by the Salvation Army, off Church Street, Norton.

"The young people have been really enthusiastic," said PC Ashton. "It's half-term so they've been able to help out with the decorating and have done art projects to brighten the place up and make it their own."

Once security has been fitted, a television, DVD player, Sony PlayStation, X-Box, pool table and stereo system will be installed. The dry bar will have lounge and bar areas and will open to under-18s one night a week at first. It will be supervised by two youth workers.

A £6,000 grant from the Single Regeneration Budget paid for the capital costs, like new equipment, and cash from Safer Ryedale will fund the rent and youth workers' wages.

Updated: 11:10 Friday, October 31, 2003