HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market - Page 5

Wynonie Harris · 30-09-2011, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taggy

Well yes, i guess we have to wait for the answer on that one?...Who actually has over all responsibility for the Market area, is it Clare Pritchard?

Best Regards - Taggy

That's what I've been led to believe. Reckon Ken might have summat to say about it when he appears.

Busman747 · 30-09-2011, 23:33

Just in case you are wondering where the drunks are going to sit now, I can tell you! IN MY BUS STOP!!!!

As I have mentioned before, the average age of customers on my local bus run is around 80 years old and they get the bus in Bridge St.

Several times over the past couple of weeks, drunks have taken over the bus stop and my customers have stood away from the stop rather than use the little "bum rests" that the council call seats.

On one occasion, I had to call the police to scrape up a drunk that had slid off the bench and was soundly asleep on the pavement. His daughter came along, (shouted "Dad, dad.") kicked him in the stomach, shrugged when she got no response and walked off. (she was also out of it)

The police attended sometime after my phone call, called an ambulance but the drunk recovered and was allowed to stagger off.

Neil · 30-09-2011, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caz

The point is they should be relaxing places to sit down.

There's been talk of regenerating the area to bring it back to it's "former glory", but we should have nowhere to sit and enjoy the this view?

Thats an excellent point.

So HBC get £2 million pounds and tart up the town - good luck to them as well - then what?

If they cant sort out minor issues like a few drunks causing problems then what hope have we for it being any better after spending £2 million on the place?

Yes it will look nice but will still have the same social problems we have now. Drunks on benches/bus stops/asleep on the floor and foul mouthed people spoiling the area.

I wonder how many new visitors that come and see the restored historic town centre of Accrington will come back after falling over a drunk and listening to a nice group of Accy parents telling their kids to shut the you know what up while they chat together.

These social problems are the bigger issue in Accrington not the buildings in my opinion.

Alan Varrechia · 01-10-2011, 00:06

Whats needed is lots of benches outside Maundy Grange, Right outside Maundy grange. And a wall just beyond that, that they can't get over.

flashy · 01-10-2011, 05:38

I think some of you are missing something here, the drunks have been outside the Market Hall for years, the current political party have been in power for how long?

It's only been months, the previous party obviously did naff all about it for years and just left them to rot on the benches annoying people, turn a negative into a positive and just for a moment look at it how i see it, at least this party is TRYING to do something, every town has this problem, Blackburns drunks tend to all sit on the benches on the Boulevard and before that they all used to congregate outside the Tavern pub.

In Accrington i see it as being another bit of mess that the last political party have left behind

Neil · 01-10-2011, 06:21

I agree it is a very old problem not sorted out by the last lot or the ones before them and before them. I still think its a lack of the police using the laws available to deal with them.

Moving the benches is just wrong and has punished those decent people who used them before and just moved the problem not solved it.

I am not blaming anyone as I dont know who did it which is why I said the council and not the councillors or the officers.

flashy · 01-10-2011, 07:13

as i have said before in another thread...a few years ago i saw one woman (who i knew when i was younger) pour her can of special brew into a plastic pop bottle so as not to get her beer taken off her by the police whilst in town, people who drink have ways and means of being sneaky, no town could ever stop this problem nomatter how much they try

has anyone give a thought to the fact that these benches are old and need replacing? possibly to be replaced by new metal ones like they have on Broadway?

and as for people missing those benches...i don't think anyone ever gets the chance to sit on them let alone miss them....do you really REALLY sit on a bench that always stinks of wee? hmmm

garinda · 01-10-2011, 07:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

and as for people missing those benches...i don't think anyone ever gets the chance to sit on them let alone miss them....do you really REALLY sit on a bench that always stinks of wee? hmmm

Yes, I REALLY sit on those benches. Innumerous times over the last six years, because I've been unable to walk, because Parkinson's means my legs freeze.

Incidentally, I've never had any problem with the drinkers there. Though I have whilst sat on the benches in Church Street, and Broadway.

flashy · 01-10-2011, 07:34

how do you get to sit on the benches if the people who drink are always on them?

garinda · 01-10-2011, 07:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

how do you get to sit on the benches if the people who drink are always on them?

Er....because they're not always sat on them, and if there is someone else sat on them, I sit on the bench with them.

Every one of those seats, on each bench, isn't sat on by some raving alky 24/7.

Many 'normal' people use them too.

As I said, not wanting to waste my time posting friggin' lies, I've never had a problem with anyone, a drinker or not, whilst sat there.

flashy · 01-10-2011, 07:48

lies? who mentioned lies?

i am saying what i am saying because most people have jumped down HBC's throat about this, as they do with most things, i am merely giving my view on this subject as an outsider, trying to see things from a different point of view

no one was happy with the last lot who where in and no one it would seem is happy with this new lot (who have only been in for the last few months) so damned if they do and damned if they don't, they don't have a magic wand, they can't make everything in the borough right at the flick of a switch

garinda · 01-10-2011, 08:00

This isn't about party politics.

Especially as Lancsdave hinted it wasn't the council's decision to remove the benches.

It's about how all of the community are being punished for the actions of two drunks having a fight.

It's as illogical a move as closing all the town centre pubs down, because someone was glassed in The Bridge.

The problem wasn't the benches. It's people off their faces on drink or drugs. Who can be found everywhere, throughout Accrington.

garinda · 01-10-2011, 08:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

lies? who mentioned lies?

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

and as for people missing those benches...i don't think anyone ever gets the chance to sit on them let alone miss them....do you really REALLY sit on a bench that always stinks of wee? hmmm

Myself, and other non-alkys, have already posted in this thread that we REALLY do sit on those benches.

flashy · 01-10-2011, 08:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

The problem wasn't the benches. It's people off their faces on drink or drugs. Who can be found everywhere, throughout Accrington.

as i have already said, it's not just Accrington who has a problem with these people

flashy · 01-10-2011, 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Incidentally, I've never had any problem with the drinkers there. Though I have whilst sat on the benches in Church Street, and Broadway.

It wouldn't matter to them if they took the benches away from Church Street, they would just sit on the walls