They're not allowed to indiscriminately seize it. First there must be a reasonable belief that the person is or has been drinking in the area or intends to drink in it.

That is the impression his post gives, though I doubt that from his vantage point he could see everybody passing through the station or, in any case, whether or not everybody he could see was in fact carrying alcohol or even stopped by officers, and beyond then, given opportunity to provide an explanation regards the alcohol they may be carrying and be party to the decision made by the officer dealing with it.

The OP perhaps got the impression that all alcohol from all people was being seized, but that doesn't necessarily make it so.

I am beginning to wonder if Vonhosen and Ten Pence Short are aware that they have exchanged logins

It would appear that what the OP described seeing is not consistent with the legislation. Could be he's mistaken, but I think I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

What areas are covered by the DPPO? It may be that the area around the regatta does not form part of the DPPO, or that areas by the river or designated for visitors in relation to the regatta may be licensed under the Licensing Act and only form part of the DPPO when the licensed hours are not in operation. In which case, people would be perfectly entitled to pass through the DPPO carrying alcohol in order to drink it in an area not covered by it.

Because when they leave the shops are closed ?

I still feel like a 'criminal' 10 years after visiting Padstow after drinking a can of cider in a designated no drinking zone while eating a pastie at the harbour ( ok I'm a chav )

Sometimes/most times this country is too overregulated for it's own good.

Not ignorant but a few other words spring to mind for this type of shameless skullduggery by the BIB.
Where is the ignorance in devising a cash grab system that is so convoluted the Police can and really do just make it up as they go, eh?
Its a stroke of decietful genious, its worth Billions to the Police as well as Government and its clear most decent people never stood a chance.
Its perfect for them.

That must be those tinfoil billions. Having said that, confiscation of unopened bottles from people just arriving at the regatta sounds like an abuse of police power.

My understanding is that to seize it (and dispose as they see fit), they would first need reasonable belief that it was going to be drunk in the Designated Public Place. Simply walking off the train in your finery with a bag full of plonk would not in itself lend itself to reasonable belief, in my eyes.

Do those dahn sarf drink anything else?

The OH was a keen dark blue rower and Henley aficionado. She has mentioned something about lashings of bubbly before but, being strictly Northern, I assumed she meant they were jesting with the aid of some Matey. Then the thought of nubile young things and bubble bath distracted me onto thinking of other things...