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Not quite sure where to post this - drunks in town all day
heretolearn_2
Posts: 3,565 Forumite
Hi
We have our offices in a town centre that is fairly run down in one respect - lots of charity shops and empty units etc - but in another way there are still businesses trying hard here, lots of professional firms offices (like us) and two brave chaps have newsly opened a lovely interior design shop.
there has been a clique of drunks in the town for years. they all hang out around one bench, drinking all day, literally from 7am in the morning onwards till early evening. Generally they are tolerated and have been pretty harmless, if not very scenic.
But it's getting worse. There is now a larger group of them, they spread right across the pavement so you either have to walk through the middle of them or cross the road away from them, some of them make comments at passers by - a couple of them now ask for money (which never happened in the past). This sounds stupid but our resident collection of local alcoholics has gone down in class!
I now find it personally intimidating. I was attacked by a drunk girl early one morning on the way to work last year. (not one of the 'regulars'. From a business point of view it's the first thing lots of people coming to town see - it's only a small town centre so it's hard to avoid them. they are between the railway station and the businesses, and the two main car parks and the businesses so all our business visitors must be running the gauntlet all the time too.
We have plenty of police and PCSO (?) s in town. I've once seen them pouring their drink down the drain, otherwise they seem to be accepted as a permanent feature. It's not an alcohol - free zone so are they breaking any laws anyway? Not that it helps, in summer they de-camp at lunchtime to the local park which IS an alcohol free zone and still booze away. Quite often in summer they are joined by more people/friends who have children with them, which really disturbs me.
Who should I start talking to at police/council because I've had enough?
I know alcoholics can't help it but really these are quite a happy cheerful bunch, at times I've thought I wouldn't mind a life just sitting boozing with my mates and chatting all day and doing sod all work - but I don't understand why they have to do it in the middle of the town centre! The town's business life is dying - this really doesn't help. I'm ashamed now to have our clients visit us through a gang of albeit usually friendly !!!!heads at 9am in the morning!
We have our offices in a town centre that is fairly run down in one respect - lots of charity shops and empty units etc - but in another way there are still businesses trying hard here, lots of professional firms offices (like us) and two brave chaps have newsly opened a lovely interior design shop.
there has been a clique of drunks in the town for years. they all hang out around one bench, drinking all day, literally from 7am in the morning onwards till early evening. Generally they are tolerated and have been pretty harmless, if not very scenic.
But it's getting worse. There is now a larger group of them, they spread right across the pavement so you either have to walk through the middle of them or cross the road away from them, some of them make comments at passers by - a couple of them now ask for money (which never happened in the past). This sounds stupid but our resident collection of local alcoholics has gone down in class!
I now find it personally intimidating. I was attacked by a drunk girl early one morning on the way to work last year. (not one of the 'regulars'. From a business point of view it's the first thing lots of people coming to town see - it's only a small town centre so it's hard to avoid them. they are between the railway station and the businesses, and the two main car parks and the businesses so all our business visitors must be running the gauntlet all the time too.
We have plenty of police and PCSO (?) s in town. I've once seen them pouring their drink down the drain, otherwise they seem to be accepted as a permanent feature. It's not an alcohol - free zone so are they breaking any laws anyway? Not that it helps, in summer they de-camp at lunchtime to the local park which IS an alcohol free zone and still booze away. Quite often in summer they are joined by more people/friends who have children with them, which really disturbs me.
Who should I start talking to at police/council because I've had enough?
I know alcoholics can't help it but really these are quite a happy cheerful bunch, at times I've thought I wouldn't mind a life just sitting boozing with my mates and chatting all day and doing sod all work - but I don't understand why they have to do it in the middle of the town centre! The town's business life is dying - this really doesn't help. I'm ashamed now to have our clients visit us through a gang of albeit usually friendly !!!!heads at 9am in the morning!
Cash not ash from January 2nd 2011: £2565.:j
OU student: A103 , A215 , A316 all done. Currently A230 all leading to an English Literature degree.
Any advice given is as an individual, not as a representative of my firm.
OU student: A103 , A215 , A316 all done. Currently A230 all leading to an English Literature degree.
Any advice given is as an individual, not as a representative of my firm.
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Comments
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Can you speak to other businesses and see if you can join forces? Maybe Business Link can help you lay out your points and the impact on your businesses before you approach the police/council.:heartsmil When you find people who not only tolerate your quirks but celebrate them with glad cries of "Me too!" be sure to cherish them. Because these weirdos are your true family.0
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(I'd see if you can get this moved to the Families Board, or the Small Biz one, but there may be more users around on families over the weekend).:heartsmil When you find people who not only tolerate your quirks but celebrate them with glad cries of "Me too!" be sure to cherish them. Because these weirdos are your true family.0
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In our borough they have brought in alcohol free zones in certain areas whereby they can be moved on and drink confiscated by the police if more than 2 people congregate. There are notices up and it does seem to work, could you search online for local community support and ask them?#6 of the SKI-ers Club :j
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke0 -
Sounds like my town, run down, drunks etc
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Accidentally leave a bottle of Frosty Jacks filled with bleach on one of the benches.0
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thriftymanc wrote: »accidentally leave a bottle of frosty jacks filled with bleach on one of the benches.
iawtc.....0 -
Do you have a chamber of commerce, or something similar? If it is affecting business, it is affecting business rates, which affects the council's money.0
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