A POPULAR bar in Taunton town centre says its decision to serve drinks in plastic glasses on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights is for the safety of its customers.

Bosses at Cafe Mambo said a decision to implement the use of plastic glasses over Christmas has now been extended into 2013.

Area manager Chris Hunt said: “We know from experience that Christmas and New Year celebrations around the town can be extra lively so we took the precautionary step and invested in £2,500 in polycarbonate glassware.

“For the time being, we will continue to use plastic glasses during weekend evenings because we have in excess of 3,000 customers visiting us on those nights but use conventional glasswear on our weekday and daytime trade.

“We have explained to customers that the removal of conventional glassware has been done for their ongoing safety.”

Sgt Tony Crowter, who is in charge of Taunton town centre, said the majority of the Christmas and New Year period was largely trouble-free.

He said the only ‘glassing’ incident on record was in Mambo – when two men broke glasses on to their own heads before being asked to leave the bar.

He added: “Incidents involving glasses are not common in Taunton but anything that can be done to reduce the risk further including the use of polycarbonate drinkware is encouraged.

“It is an added expense but it is a credit to all the pubs who have invested in it.”