the fourth place

You may remember the creepy authoritatian communist state of Yeovil introduced fingerprinting technology into its pubs to allow for the exclusion of drunken thugs. Clearly, simple staffing measures such as keeping the same doormen on the same doors and simple communicaiton technologies such as radios were not suficient to allow the tracking troublemakers as they were in smaller metropolises such as Bristol.

What was the effect of this measure on the bustling international city of Yeovil?

[A spokesperson was unable to] say if fingerprint security in Yeovil had displaced crime to neighbouring towns, but she noted that domestic violence had risen in Yeovil. She could not give more details until the publication of national crime statistics to coincide with the anniversary of lax pub licensing laws on 24 November

Could it be that the local thugs were staying at home or is it perhaps that the persecuted population started to go mad?

Regardless of such teething problems the Government, in its wisdom, sees the scheme as a sucess and wishes to roll it out to wider audiences in the UK's mega-cities:

"The Home Office have looked at our system and are looking at trials in other towns including Coventry, Hull & Sheffield," said Julia Bradburn, principal licensing manager at South Somerset District Council.

Gwent and Nottingham police have also shown an interest, while Taunton, a town neighbouring Yeovil, is discussing the installation of fingerprint systems in 10 pubs and clubs with the systems supplier CreativeCode.

Fabulous.