Top ten: Which Northampton area is the worst for alcohol harm, according to public health officials?

The approach is part of Northamptonshire County Council’s recent drive to screen licensing applications against a series of indicators relating to alcohol harm.

Applications that come from shops and businesses in one of the worst 20 areas will see the officers ask for more stringent conditions such as a ban on alcohol advertising that can be seen from the street.

Stephen Marks, a public health manager at County Hall, said: “We’ve identified a number of indicators of alcohol harm and incorporated them into a tool which enables us to compare small geographical areas

“This ranking then enables us to identify licensing applications and also issues in areas of higher alcohol harm and respond accordingly.”

The indicators used include data in relation to presentations at A&E with a recorded link to alcohol, violent crimes involving alcohol, child abuse where alcohol was involved and the extent of existing licensed premises in the area.

The data is constantly updated, but as of yesterday, the current worst areas in the county are:

1.Northampton town centre and parts of St James

2.Northampton town centre and Beckets Park

3.Wellingborough town centre

4.Corby town centre

5.North of Northampton town centre and parts of Semilong

6.Corby Old Village, parts of Willowbrook East Industrial Estate

7.Kettering town centre, North of Newlands Centre

8.Riverside, Billing Aquadrome, Bellinge

9.Residential areas either side of Abington Square e.g St Michael’s Road and Cyril Street

10.Kettering town centre, south of Newlands Centre