Council teams will be swooping on licensed premises to make sure new alcohol minimum pricing laws are being followed.

Denbighshire council’s public protection business manager Ian Millington told councillors his officer would be in a position to report back on their findings by the summer.

The new minimum pricing of 50p per unit of alcohol, introduced into law by Welsh Government, became effective on Monday this week. It is hoped the move will reduce the consumption of cheap alcohol, especially among children.

Mr Millington, speaking to members of the council’s licensing committee in Rhyl, said officers from licensing and trading standards would be visiting premises.

He said: “Licensing teams will be checking on the minimum pricing of alcohol. All 120 off-sales units will be checked.

“That’s coming with Welsh Government support and that’s likely to be happening across Wales.

“In June we should be able to give some sort of indication of compliance.”

He also revealed the county would adopt the Best Bar None scheme for licensed bars and clubs.

However the start of the initiative, which confers minimum standards on bars and clubs, had been deferred until March 2021.

Mr Millington said: “It’s for licensed premises to come to a minimum standard and promotes good ethics.

“It’s seen as a good model for licensing standards. We feel it’s time we brought something in.”

Those involved in the scheme will be able to promote membership to members of the public, who would then know such bars were safe and well run.

Anyone not complying with the minimum standards would face being kicked losing their accreditation, unless they improved.

He added: “The incentive would be to join it and be noticed by the council.”

Currently there are 435 licensed premises – 102 on sales; 120 off sales; 213

both on/off sales and 184 late night bars in the county.

Denbighshire council received 32 public complaints about licensed premises during 2019, most regarding noise.

Other complaints concerned general anti-social behaviour unlicensed activities and sales to minors. Action had been completed or was ongoing said Mr Millington.

He added there had been eight joint visits to licensed premises with partners such as North Wales Police, Immigration and other council teams, such as health and safety, food safety and trading standards.