READING PubWatch has been short-listed for the title of PubWatch of the Year at the Responsible Drinks Retailing Awards.

The group, which is made up of seven separate committees across Reading and has been running since 2003, entered the awards for the first time this year and has made it on to the final shortlist.

The award is presented to a PubWatch scheme that is “going out of [its] way to make sure that the products that they distribute are sold in an appropriate, and responsible way – thus reducing the antisocial impact they can have in communities”.

Bill Donne, chairman of Reading PubWatch and secretary of the town centre scheme, put together an entry proving Reading worked with the police, the council and other community groups to launch initiatives such as the anti-spike campaign, football protocol for pubs, and a policy to seize all drugs found on licensed premises.

He said: “We had to send them an information pack explaining our constitution and evidence of our campaigns, so it was quite a wad of paper.

“We are delighted with the support that the Evening Post gives to all the intiatives launched by Pubwatch.”

Mr Donne will attend the awards lunch at the Landmark Hotel in London with the chairman of the town centre PubWatch, Stuart McNaught, and the chairman of the Tilehurst and West Reading PubWatch, Geoff Keeble, on November 22.

Mr Donne added: “This is the first time we’ve entered and it’s great to have got so far.

“We would be absolutely delighted to get recognition for the team effort that many people put in on a voluntary basis.”