Queues outside a club. Pic: *Sax

Bouncers will start breathalysing clients wishing to use clubs in Croydon as part of a Metropolitan police initiative to tackle alcohol – related crime across London.

The new plan, to be launched at the end of February, will allow door security to refuse entry to those with an alcohol breath specimen reading higher than twice the driving limit.

Julian Hurst, from the Police’s Directorate of Media and Communication, explained that two “Alcohol Blow Devices” were tested late last year for the duration of a month and seemed to have had positive results.

He said: “The venues reported fewer altercations caused by intoxicated customers attempting to gain entry and consequently a reduction in the potential for alcohol related disorder to take place inside their premises.”

Croydon Council has subsequently funded purchase of six more ABDs which will be introduced by the end of February.

A police spokesperson supported the breathalyser scheme as he believed it would help ‘tackle’ violent crime.

“Breathalysers are not going to be fixed to certain venues. They are going to be moved across town depending on specific needs”, he said.

Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of alcohol education charity Drinkaware, said: “We support initiatives that help to reduce alcohol related anti-social behaviour on nights out. We know there is a lot of pressure on young people to drink as much as everybody else.”

“Initiatives like this can help raise awareness of the consequences of drinking to excess ensuring that those on nights out have a safer and more enjoyable time.”

After a successful breathalyser pilot in Croydon, the Metropolitan Police plan to introduce the scheme in other London boroughs.