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From left, Greg Harrand, owner of Hedley House Hotel, in Bootham Terrace; Amie Postings, general manager of The Grange Hotel, in Bootham, with PCSOs Tim Barrett and Mel Parkin

A crime-busting new scheme aimed at protecting hotel owners and their guests has been launched in York.

More than 35 hotels and guest houses in the Clifton area have signed up to Hotel Watch - a crime prevention network set up by the local neighbourhood policing team.

Bogus guests, car crime and homeless people are just some of the concerns that will be addressed by the new scheme.

Members will benefit from an early warning system, whereby hotel owners who experience problems with disruptive, abusive or non-paying customers can tip off other members of Hotel Watch via email.

Greg Harrand, owner of Hedley House Hotel, in Bootham Terrace, said: "I think it's a great idea. We get bogus guests at least two or three times a year and the chances are they'll go on to try another hotel in the local area.

"It will be extremely beneficial to have a facility to warn all the other hotel owners to be on the look out for them."

Hotel Watch also aims to stamp out car crime by encouraging members to alert guests that their vehicles are a prime target for thieves.

Mr Harrand said: "Car thieves know that outside a hotel there will be a concentration of vehicles that are more likely to have valuable belongings in than elsewhere - that is why we are a target."

To help spread the message, Safer York Partnership has funded 5,000 key-rings, each carrying the message: remove sat-navs, wipe windows, remove all valuables.

These will be distributed to members of Hotel Watch to hand out to their guests when they check in.

Sergeant Shaun Page, of the Clifton Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: "It is far better to warn people, than for us to come and speak to them afterwards to get all the crime details, with their holiday completely spoiled."

PCSO Tim Barrett, who is co-ordinating Hotel Watch with his colleagues PCSO Mel Parkin and PCSO Joe Spooner, said: "Crime in York is already quite low, but we want to make it even lower.

"What we have set up is like a neighbourhood watch, but for hotels. We are trying to get hotels to look out for one another and let each other know when something happens, like a spate of car crime."

For more information, phone PCSO Barrett on 0845 6060247.

4:41pm Thursday 27th March 2008

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