South Wales Police re-launches free drinks scheme for designated drivers

A popular scheme allowing designated drivers to receive free draught soft drinks has been relaunched in South Wales.

The initiative, which will run over the Christmas period and until the start of January, has seen more than 130 premises sign up.

A designated driver is someone who abstains from drinking alcohol to act as the responsible driver.

The aim of the scheme is to promote responsible drinking with road safety in mind.

Customers who make themselves known to bar staff as the designated driver – or as ‘DES’ – are then given a wristband, enabling them to receive free draught soft drinks or squash.

We know it can sometimes be a burden being the designated driver but we hope this scheme will encourage more people to be aware of the very serious consequences of drink driving and the importance of being safe on the roads.

There is no way to know how much you can drink and stay under the limit, since it can depend on your weight, age, metabolism, the amount of food you've eaten and other factors.

It's impossible to get alcohol out of your system quickly, it always takes time. A shower, a cup of coffee or other ways of ‘sobering up’ may make you feel better but won’t remove the alcohol from your system.

If you've been out drinking, you may still be affected by alcohol the next day and could lose your licence if you drive and are still over the legal limit.

The biggest risk you take when driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is the risk of causing a collision.

Driving under the influence of drink or drugs is extremely dangerous and can affect your driving in numerous ways.

Alcohol and drugs can also create a false confidence which can lead to an increase in risk-taking behaviour, which puts your life and the lives of others in danger.

The scheme runs by customers making themselves known to bar staff as ‘DES’. They are then given a wristband allowing them free draught soft drinks or squash. Whether this offer lasts all night, or for a stipulated amount of drinks, is determined by each individual licensed premises, as they are the ones covering the costs. South Wales Police provides posters and wristbands to advertise the scheme.

If you are a licensed premises and are interested in joining the scheme, then please contact your local licensing team.

The full list of licensed premises signed up to the scheme can be found below:

 

Cardiff (35)

Metros Nightclub, Bakers Row, city centre, CF10 1AL
The Philharmonic, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1FA
Retro Lounge, Mill Lane, city centre, CF10 1FL
Brewhouse, The Old Brewery Quarter, city centre, CF10 3AD
The Bluebell, High Street, city centre, CF10 1PU
The Daffodil, Windsor Place, city centre, CF10 3BZ
Cardiff Cottage, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1AA
Walkabout Cardiff, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1FA
Temple Bar, High Street, city centre, CF10 1FA
Mary's Cardiff, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1DW
District Cardiff, Greyfriars Road, city centre, CF10 3AD
CIRCUIT Cardiff, Greyfriars Road, city centre, CF10 3DP
O'Neill's Cardiff, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1DW
Head of Steam Cardiff, Church Street, city centre, CF10 1BG
Tonight Josephine, Caroline Street, city centre, CF10 1FF
Bonnie Rogues Cardiff, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1AD
Barbara's Bier Haus, Mill Lane, city centre, CF10 1FL
Pitch Bar & Eatery, Mill Lane, city centre, CF10 1FL
Golf Fang Cardiff, St David's Centre, city centre, CF10 2EN
Cardiff Marriott Hotel, Mill Lane, city centre, CF10 1EZ
Clayton Hotel, St Mary Street, city centre, CF10 1GD
Holiday Inn, Castle Street, city centre, CF10 1XD
Park Inn Hotel, Mary Ann Street, city centre, CF10 2JH
Esquires Coffee, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, CF10 5BZ
The Dock, Stuart Street, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, CF10 5BZ
DEPOT, Curran Road, Butetown, CF10 5DF
Brewhouse & Kitchen, Sophia Close, Pontcanna, CF11 9HW
The Admiral, Cowbridge Road East, Canton, CF11 9AL
The Cornwall, Cornwall Street, Grangetown, CF11 6SR
The Discovery Inn, Celyn Avenue, Cyncoed, CF23 6FH
The Royal Exchange, Ty Mawr Road, Llandaff North, CF14 2FQ
Radyr Tap, Station Road, Radyr, CF15 8AA
Rhiwbina Tap, Heol-y-deri, Rhiwbina, CF14 6HA
Misfits, Miskin Street, Cathays, CF24 4AP
The Royal George, Mackintosh Place, Plasnewydd, CF24 4RJ
The New Inn, Caerphilly Road, Birchgrove, CF14 4AE

 

Neath Port Talbot (31)

The Grand Hotel, Station Road, Port Talbot, SA13 1DE
Lord Caradoc, Station Road, Port Talbot, SA13 1NW
Murphys Main Stage, Station Road, Port Talbot, SA13 1JB
Bagle Brook, Baglan, SA12 8ES
The Brit, London Road, Cwmavon, SA12 9AH
The Refreshment Rooms, Cymmer, SA13 3HY
Jersey Arms, Jersey Terrace, Cwmavon, SA12 9AS
Blue Scar Welfare Club, Pontrhydyfen, SA12 9TL
Tap Room, Castle Drive, Cimla, SA11 3YF
Travellers Well, Rhyd-y-fro, Pontardawe, SA8 4SS
Memories Café bar (Old Vaughan Arms), Resolven, SA11 4NA
The Angel Inn, Pontneddfechan, SA11 5NR
Allan Leonard Lewis Bar, Orchard Street, Neath, SA11 1DT
Lamb & Flag, Wellfield Place, Glynneath, SA11 5ER
Castle Hotel, High Street, Pontardawe, SA8 4HU
Treatz Beatz, High Street, Pontardawe, SA8 4HU
Crown Inn, Neath Road, Briton Ferry, SA11 2AX
Green Dragon, Church Road, Cadoxton, SA10 8AU
Pontardawe Inn, Herbert Street, Pontardawe, SA8 4ED
Pink Geranium, Herbert Street, Pontardawe, SA8 4EB
The Ferryman, Neath Road, Briton Ferry, SA11 2AQ
The Ambassador, The Parade, Neath, SA11 1RA
Banwen RFC, Dyffryn Cellwen, SA10 9LG
Bryndulais Hotel, Church Road, Seven Sisters, SA10 9DT
Celtic Lodge, Westernmoor Road, Neath, SA11 1BZ
St Ives, Old Market Street, Neath, SA11 3NA
The Crown Inn, New Road, Skewen, SA10 6EW
Castle Hotel, The Parade, Neath, SA11 1RB
The Flying Pig, Cyfyng Road, Ystalyfera, SA9 2BS
The Square, High Street, Glynneath, SA11 5DA
Warner's Bar, Station Road, Port Talbot, SA13 1JS

 

Swansea (30)

The Hanbury, Kingsway, city centre, SA1 5HG
Bonnie Rogues Swansea, Wind Street, city centre, SA1 1DF
Coyote Ugly, Wind Street, city centre, SA1 1EE
One Eyed Willy's, Wind Street, city centre, SA1 1DY
Jack Murphys, Wind Street, city centre, SA1 1DE
Jack Murphys, Uplands Crescent, Uplands, SA2 0NP
Pump House, Maritime Quarter, SA1 1TT
Queens Hotel, Maritime Quarter, SA1 1TY
The Olde Cross Keys, St Mary Street, city centre, SA1 3LH
The Bryn-y-mor, Brynymor Road, Swansea, SA1 4JQ
The Mill, Brynymor Road, Swansea, SA1 4JJ
Wig & Pen, St Helen's Road, Swansea, SA1 4BL
The Globe Inn, Birchgrove Road, Glais, SA7 9EN
Old Glais Inn, Birchgrove Road, Glais, SA7 9EN
The Smiths Arms, Samlet Road, Llansamlet, SA7 9AQ
Plough & Harrow, Church Road, Llansamlet, SA7 9RL
The Railway Inn, Siloh Road, Plasmarl, SA1 2NX
Globe Inn, Mysydd Road, Plasmarl, SA1 2QD
Maggie's, Llangyfelach Road, Brynhyfryd, SA5 9LD
Coopers Arms, Neath Road, Plasmarl, SA6 8JU
The Masons, Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd, SA5 4SU
Hen Dderwen, Sketty Park Drive, Sketty, SA2 8JH
The Dunvant, Dunvant Road, Dunvant, SA2 7SL
The Commercial, Gower Road, Killay, SA2 7AN
The Black Boy, Gower Road, Killay, SA2 7AJ
The Reverend James, Borough Road, Loughor, SA4 6RZ
Gower Inn, Parkmill, Gower, SA3 2EQ
King Arthur Hotel, Reynoldston, Gower, SA3 1AD
The Royal Oak, Beach Road, Penclawdd, SA4 3YN
The Rake and Riddle, Penclawdd Road, Penclawdd, SA4 3RB

 

Vale of Glamorgan (12)

The Bear's Head, Windsor Road, Penarth, CF64 1JD
Hickmans, Windsor Road, Penarth, CF64 1JJ
Sully Inn, Cog Road, Sully, CF64 5TD
Cwm Talwg, Severn Avenue, Barry, CF62 7FG
The Park, Park Crescent, Barry, CF62 6HE
The White Hart, Wine Street, Llantwit Major, CF61 1RZ
Tudor Tavern, Church Street, Llantwit Major, CF61 1SB
The Blacksmiths Arms, Tyle House Close, Llanmaes, CF61 2XR
Golden Mile Inn, Corntown Road, Corntown, CF35 5BA
Watermill, Ogmore Road, Ogmore-by-Sea, CF32 0QP
Three Golden Cups, Main Road, Southerndown, CF32 0RW
The Fox, Ewenny Road, St Brides Major, CF32 0SA

 

Bridgend (10)

Pyle RFC, Beach Rd, Pyle, CF33 6AR
Three Horseshoes, Cefn Road, Cefn Cribwr, CF32 0AY
Cefn Cribwr Athletic Club, Cae Gof, Cefn Road, Cefn Cribwr, CF32 0BA
Green Acre, Heol Fach, North Cornelly, CF33 4LH
Kenfig Hill RFC, Pisgah Street, Kenfig Hill, CF33 6BU
Kenfig Hill and Pyle British Legion, Brynglas Terrace, Pyle, CF33 6AG
The New House Inn, Thomas Crescent, North Cornelly, CF33 4HT
Kenfig Hill Labour Club, Prince Road, Kenfig Hill, CF33 6ED
RAFA Club, New Road, Porthcawl, CF36 5DN
The Bird, Commercial Street, Maesteg, CF34 9DL

 

Rhondda Cynon Taf (10)

The Bute Arms, Victoria Square, Aberdare, CF44 7LB
The Bush Inn, Commercial Street, Aberdare, CF44 7RW
35 Squared, Victoria Square, Aberdare, CF44 7LB
No 20, Canon Street, Aberdare, CF44 7AP
Prince Of Wales, Victoria Square, Aberdare, CF44 7LB
Taffs Well RFC, Taffs Well, CF15 7JD
The Jeffrey's Arms, Jeffrey Street, Mountain Ash, CF45 4AD
The Cefnpennar Inn, Blackberry Place, Cefnpennar, CF45 4EA
The Baileys Arms, Miskin Road, Mountain Ash, CF45 3UB
Pick and Shovel, Fothergill Street, Treforest, CF37 1SG

 

Merthyr Tydfil (8)

Clwb Crown, Penry Street, Merthyr, CF48 1BA
The New Crown, High Street, Merthyr, CF47 8DP
The Iron Dragon, Castle Street, Merthyr, CF47 8BG
The Vulcan Inn, High Street, Merthyr, CF47 8UD
Welsh Bar, High Street, Merthyr, CF47 8DP
Davs Kitchen, High Street, Merthyr, CF47 8DE
The Butchers Arms, Main Road, Pontsticill, CF48 2UE
The Red Cow Inn, Main Road, Pontsticill, CF48 2UN