People drinking in bars across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are set to be warned with yellow cards if their behaviour gets out of hand.

A scheme is being rolled out during the world cup, and will be ongoing, to remind people not to cause trouble when they're out drinking.

The cards say: "Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated.

"Violence or the threat of violence, drugs or anti-social behaviour may result in a ban from all PABCIS member venues in this area.

"Your photograph may also be distributed."

Stephen Franklyn, barman at The Auctioneer in Hanley, said people had been well behaved so far, and the atmosphere during football matches has been good.

He said: "They've been great, it's been a cracking atmosphere, everybody's been singing along with the National Anthem and cheering when we score, so it's been good.

"People have been really well behaved."

He said he doesn't anticipate handing out many of the yellow cards.

"They've been so well behaved, hopefully we can get to the final and there'll still be a great atmosphere.

"We should be alright, we shouldn't have to hand too many yellow cards out."

Stephen Franklyn, barman at The Auctioneer, Hanley. (Richard Price)

The bar's owner, Darren Rogers praised the scheme, and said it was about making sure everyone has a good time while supporting venues during the vital Christmas trading period.

He said: "The scheme is a good idea. It's a little card – it's not like sticking a big poster on the walls – it's a little card just to say 'behave'.

"It's a time of year when people want to enjoy themselves, the town gets busier, so it's just a discreet way of saying to people 'look, let's have a good time, just think about what you're doing when you go out'.

"Because it's the Christmas period it's lucrative for the businesses and we need this time to go without a hitch – and with it being a yellow card it obviously ties in with the football."

The Auctioneer normally operates with two doormen on Fridays and Saturdays, but during the World Cup period this is being increased to four to give people extra reassurance.

Darren said: "Touch wood, we've had no issues with the football games.

"We've taken every precaution possible – we've gone to plastic cups, doormen have increased, staff have increased – at the moment it's been a very, very lucrative period for us and obviously the start of the festive period as well.

"The more pubs that get involved, the more pubs that hand these cards out, the more warning we're giving to people.

"The nightlife scheme run by the council makes sure that everybody on the list is well-known, everybody who can't go into venues.

"It covers everything from spiking to misbehaving to allegations – all of it's discussed between the licensees.

"If everybody joins in with this card system, and we're giving these cards to people, it's just that reminder that all the time you are being watched.

"We do want the town to be busy, we do want a successful period, so let's behave and enjoy it.

"It's not to single people out or make them feel like they're being victimised. It's just to say we're all in this together, let's have a good time."

PABCIS – which stands for Partnerships Against Business Crime In Staffordshire – is the organisation behind the yellow card scheme.

Manager Julie Davies explained: "The yellow card initiative is being delivered by PABCIS, Partnerships Against Business Crime in Staffordshire.

"It is a countywide initiative involving any licensed premise member of PABCIS choosing to participate and is aimed as a means of early warning to anyone who might be heading towards overstepping the mark in terms of their behaviour.

"PABCIS already operates a warning process to individuals who have acted in an unacceptable manner, but this particular yellow card initiative is aimed at those whose behaviour is starting to become unacceptable.

"It has coincided with the world cup but will continue once that has gone.

"Venue staff will be issuing the cards to anyone they consider to be heading towards behaving in an unacceptable manner to potentially prevent matters escalating as we all want everyone to have an enjoyable, safe, secure and peaceful experience whilst socialising in venues and our town/city centres in Staffordshire."

The scheme was fully rolled out last weekend, and will be an ongoing thing.