HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by flashy

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

Of course the last lot ignored it. No one would claim that this problem has suddenly sprung up since Labour came to power. However, removing the benches and thus penalising innocent citizens for the sake of a bunch of low lives seems to be the wrong way of going about it. The council should be talking to the police about enforcing the drink ban in the town centre but, on a wider scale, they should be exploring ways to rid the town centre of this problem altogether. What's the point of spending millions rejuvenating the centre, if shoppers and visitors are going to be confronted by a bunch of abusive drunks when they arrive?

Of course, they might be doing things to sort it but we wouldn't know, because not one Labour councillor has come on here to explain. Why should they have to report to Accyweb, you might ask? Well, when they were in opposition, they were on here often enough, giving their views about this, that and the other. Even the normally taciturn Bernard was getting his two penn'th in!

Now, total silence (although having said that I'm still hopeful that Ken will be along to give some info!).

[garinda]

Originally Posted by flashy

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

That's exactly what myself and others are saying.

They could remove all the town centre benches from Accrington.

That doesn't tackle the problem of the alkys, who'll just find another place to carry on drinking. Busman's already said they sit on the folding seats at the bus stops.

Should everyone else suffer, and those seats be removed as well?

The drinkers are the problem, not the benches.

It's them who should be removed, if they're drinking in an area where it's banned, not the benches. Which are used by many, many other people.

[flashy]

ok Gary, i do see what you are saying but just look back at the posts, people where making it political when as we both say, it shouldn't be

as Wyn has just said it's not a new problem and yes there should be more enforcement to try and keep the drinkers out of town centres, you only ever see a copper or a law enforcement officer when someone is dropping a fag end on the floor

[garinda]

Originally Posted by flashy

ok Gary, i do see what you are saying but just look back at the posts, people where making it political when as we both say, it shouldn't be

as Wyn has just said it's not a new problem and yes there should be more enforcement to try and keep the drinkers out of town centres, you only ever see a copper or a law enforcement officer when someone is dropping a fag end on the floor

Well my posts weren't made because of any political bias, and it's doubtful anyone would have read them as such, as I am sometimes labelled on here as being a flaming red, and a Labour apologist.

Nothing to do with whoever's currently in control of H.B.C.

This is about a totally idiotic decision, regardless of who took it.

[Neil]

Being a sad individual I have just been reading the Licensing Act 1902 and there are several sections that could be used by the police to sort out this problem.

Here is a link to the Act Licensing Act 1902

I have quoted two bit of the Act below

Apprehension of person found drunk and incapable in public place.

If a person is found drunk in any highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on any licensed premises, and appears to be incapable of taking care of himself, he may be apprehended and dealt with according to law.

8 Interpretation of “public place.”

For the purposes of section twelve of the M1Licensing Act 1872, and of sections one and two of this Act, the expression “public place” shall include any place to which the public have access, whether on payment or otherwise.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by flashy

ok Gary, i do see what you are saying but just look back at the posts, people where making it political when as we both say, it shouldn't be......

You are right, its not a political issue, just a lack of common sense and disregard for the decent visitors to town to try and make a quick fix.

[Ken Moss]

This is an issue that has been brought up several times recently and came to a head on Tuesday when there was a brawl outside the Market Hall which put the wind up both the traders and the shoppers. Complaints are continually raised about drunkards peeing up the Market Hall walls and even just where they are sitting on the benches and the council and market staff are fully aware that there is a problem.

Clare Pritchard is responsible for all town centres in the borough but this decision cannot be levelled at her entirely. Discussions are ongoing between HBC and the police and one of the ideas put forward was removing the benches for a trial period to try and move the drunks out of the town centre. The experiment will be reviewed shortly but part of the problem is that many of the vagrants actually enjoy being arrested as it means they get a brew and a butty and quite often a bed for the night.

I hope this answers some of your questions but please bear in mind that we are trying to improve things in whatever way we can. Sometimes we will get it right, other times we will get it wrong but at least we're having a go and to my mind there is little shame in admitting when something doesn't work.

We're never going to please everyone but we do have the borough's best interests at heart.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by odders

Seriously, the Maundy Grange Empire is killing the town.(My thoughts for his place though need to be saved for another thread and day).

)

I quite agree odders, obviously I'd heard of Maundy Grange, and in fact have supported Dorothy in the past (right at the beginning that is) but not having been to Accrington Centre for years, it really opened my eyes when I started going down town on a regular basis this summer, they should rename Abbey Street Maundy Street as it seems to be a monopoly on this stretch of road

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

You'd probably get prosecuted for causing an obstruction. It's easier to pick on ordinary, law-abiding citizens than it is on criminal low lives who will doubtless know all about their human rights.

Wasn't that an oxymoron when referring to this scum as human having rights Wyn

[jaysay]

I actually everybody is getting it wrong, with the best will in the world the council cannot remove drunks from anywhere (by that I mean bodily) okay they took the easy way out and just cut their nose off to spit their face, but it is up to the police to move these people on, there is a no alcohol zone in the town centre, but the only people who can enforce it are the police

[Wynonie Harris]

Tell you what, there's plenty of dodgy geezers around Piccadilly Gardens, but woe betide any of 'em cracking open a bottle of booze (including the old hard stuff in a pop bottle routine) or indulging in abusive behaviour. The cops are down on 'em like a ton of bricks! OK, the Manc bobbies have bigger resources, but they have a bigger area to cover too. Would like to see a similar approach in Accy centre!

Incidentally, didn't I tell you Ken would be along soon? Cheers, Ken, we await your further findings with interest!

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

I actually everybody is getting it wrong, with the best will in the world the council cannot remove drunks from anywhere (by that I mean bodily) okay they took the easy way out and just cut their nose off to spit their face, but it is up to the police to move these people on, there is a no alcohol zone in the town centre, but the only people who can enforce it are the police

No one's said in this thread that it's the council's responsibility to bodily remove the drunk and drugged from the town centre.

[garinda]

Well, spent my dosh elsewhere on Saturday.

Did venture to Accrington today.

Disappointed to see the benches are still vanished.

Happily managed to keep shuffling today.

Will occasionally continue shuffling off to other places besides Accrington, which afford a warmer welcome to those who may need a place to sit and rest.

Much discussed.

In discussion, am yet to hear from to one person who thinks this was the correct course of action, in attempting to solve the problems associated with town centre drunks.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

Well, spent my dosh elsewhere on Saturday.

Did venture to Accrington today.

Disappointed to see the benches are still vanished.

Happily managed to keep shuffling today.

Will occasionally continue shuffling off to other places besides Accrington, which afford a warmer welcome to those who may need a place to sit and rest.

Much discussed.

In discussion, am yet to hear from to one person who thinks this was the correct course of action, in attempting to solve the problems associated with town centre drunks.

Ya a bit like the closing of the toilets really, silly idea

[groove]

Groove now has to sit elsewhere with his can of cider on giro days now. Groove used to sit here with that tramp Isaac, who was good at scrabble cos he knew the word on the street.