HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

You'll be pleased to know they have now taken action against the low lives sat in front of the market. Rather than sort out the low lives they have taken the benches away so nobody can sit there :rolleyes:

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Maybe they will close the town centre so it looks tidy next

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Amazing, truly amazing. So innocent citizens now have nowhere to sit when they're out shopping. Accyweb Labour councillors, explanation please!

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Perhaps there's someone just behingd the Market Hall door.

Hurriedly, and artistically, crocheting.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...uaegoEwGP7yGfg

:rolleyes:

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Just gimme 24 hours.....

I feel like Quincy.

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Odd thing, the imagination.

We were more getting Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

:D

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Hetty and I never saw eye to eye, not after all that business with the Earl Grey and macaroons.

I'll fire up the Cooper and put my investigating hat on.

Mind you, with the characters I come across I sometimes feel more like I'm in an episode of Dick Spanner...

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Oh the joys of being a councillor:D

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Well it failed anyway. At 9.10am this morning there was a group of about 10 of them stood where the benches were.

There was an article in last weeks Observer about a £2 million bid to restore Blackburn Rd and make it more appealing. The council could save that by renting a doss den on an out of town industrial estate, even throw in free transport very morning to get them there. Instant improvements for the town centre

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Quincy :D you are showing your age now lad, he must be worm food by now. He was old when I remember watching him.

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

I read that in the paper.

My guess is that the officers involved will be cursing the Councillors responsible for releasing the story. These big bids can be hard to get and failure often ends up with the public moaning on about the failure for years to come.

Been there and heard the moaning with the park.

I wish them the best of luck with the bid and hope they manage to pull it off, I like seeing external money being used to improve the area especially when local firms are used for the work.

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

There's an article in the LT about the benches.

In the same way I thought the decision about the toilets was wrong I am now going to show non-political bias and say sorry Clare it's the wrong decision if you listen to the people commenting about the subject when they see the LT Billboard next door.

Get rid of the drunks and the low lifes instead of penalising the innocent. Maybe the council could employ town centre security if the police can't do the job.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk...om_Accrington/

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

How friggin' stupid!

Someone was sadly killed by a bus the other year.

Why haven't buses been banned, if you're going to be so stupidly illogical?

Last year someone in the borough died after falling out of a tree.

Why not cut down all the trees in Hyndburn?

So to deter undesirables, benches that are used my many, have beeen taken away?

A better idea, if you want to go down that route, would to be stop supporting Maundy Grange. The biggest draw for low lifes visiting the town centre, and harassing innocent people.

I've personally sat there many times, when my legs freeze because of Parkinson's, until I'm able to shuffle off again. Many, many other people use those benches too.

I honestly can't believe H.B.C. have done such a stupid thing, and for such a ludicrous reason.

Tap, tap, tap.

There goes another nail in Accrington's coffin.

I might have to do my shopping in a place that's more welcoming, especially to those who might be in need of a seat every now and then.

Well done.

:mad:

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Sadly I feel like I'm having a déjà vu moment.

Like I'm back living in loony Lambeth.

:(

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Exactly as I thought! :mad:

Never mind, we've a fair few members from Hyndburn's ruling party on here. I'm sure they'll explain. ;)

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

Don't hold your breath Wyn, there's only one who will stick their toe in the water, if its not too warm that is;)

Re: Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures
 

It would be more interesting to find out if the tail is wagging the dog in this one :rolleyes:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

If people are drinking is this not a police issue?


I wonder who I talk to about re-homing those benches, I know a perfect spot for them :D

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

I think I've asked before but at what point does the Market boundary become the public footpath. ?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

I read somewhere that one Conservative councillor stated that it was 'a daft move as the area is a no alcohol zone'.........but it isn't any good sticking up the notices and doing nothing about the people who are infringing the no alcohol law.
Start taking the booze off these folk and making them move on might be a better way.
The benches being moved is a 'temporary' measure to see if it makes any difference....or at least that is what I was told.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

It was a no-alchohol zone when the Tories were in charge too, they did nothing either. People can argue it's a police issue but surely the council whoever is in charge should be pressing the police to sort it out.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Yes it will make a difference.

I'll make less trips to shop in Accrington.

The undesirables will simply find another place to sit. Such as by St. James church.

Or are those seats to be removed as well?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Correct, they do. Of course if the council is to be consistent they will have to remove those benches. Or maybe the council as such didn't make the decision ;)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Has this thread merged?, cause I can see posts from 2 different threads. And does not read right...

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Seems to be a typically bureaucratic approach to things, despite knowing what/who the problem is the authorities take the easy option & pussyfoot around the edges instead of dealing with the issue (is it because they've got rights ? For some reason I'm having visions of Ostriches) :rolleyes:

A link to the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/16/section/13

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

It's been split from another thread

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Yes, G....I know it will make a difference to the people who need a sit down during their shopping trips, but I think the kind of difference they(HBC) are looking for, is to make it harder for the drinkers....or more uncomfortable for them.....so that they will be forced to look for somewhere else.
I suppose the peace Garden up Church Street would take them away from the main shopping area.......and if they went there, I would think HBC would see the removal of the benches as something of a success.

It is unlawful to be drinking alcohol in that area. The simplest way to prevent that is to ensure the area is policed, the law upheld, and those who are drinking alcohol are carted away.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Cheers, will now re-type what I wrote. Bloody good thing that preview post button. I thought the site was having a benny:rolleyes:

And I had :thepint:, too much.

Thanks again.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Exactly, and it's also a public order offence to use foul language. So why haven't the council made the strongest representations possible to the police to come down hard on this scum and make life so unpleasant for them that they don't want to come into town?

There have been two Labour councillors on this forum in the last half hour. Why haven't they appeared on this thread, explaining the thinking behind this move?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

The drinkers already occasionally sit on the benches by the church on Church Street.

They will find somewhere else to sit.

Innumerous times I've had to sit there, outside the Market Hall.

Well yes, whichever idiot thought that by removing the benches that it would make people magically disappear, you've half succeeded.

The drinkers will still be in the vicinity, but I won't be shopping there.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Steve, your guess is as good as mine.

I suppose they just want to pussyfoot about.....instead of taking firm and decisive action.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

What do you mean?

Who took the decision?

Not R2-D2, because they were too high for him to sit on, on his recent all expenses paid visit to the Market Hall?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Surly the town is covered by a PCSO. They are in every area of the borough, as far as I am aware.(Correct me if I am wrong).

As has been stated on here and in the press, the "Unlawful Alcohol Law" is in place.

The powers of the PCSO, should be used here. Rather than them walking the streets, getting verbal off the feral youth and turning a blind eye to the serious crime(because they have not had the training:eek::eek::eek:, why are they on the streets:rolleyes:).

Where as they can remove alcohol, and dispose of it.(Maybe rent a skip and put it next to the Town Hall), so the apprentices don't have far to walk to dispose of the cans and bottles.Might have to go to daily collection, let alone weekly:p.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Open up the Council Chambers in the Town Hall to them, since they're used so infrequently.

Out of their minds.

Talking crap.

Home from home.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

I was one of the blokes removing the benches.

Niel, don't set your heart on having a pair of matching benches for the garden :)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

PCSO's, they're about as much use as a Catholic priests plums ! Yes they have limited power & removing alcohol is one of them, no one takes them seriously (well definitely not the scumbags they have to deal with at least) & they're not even stop gap Coppers. The money wasted employing these people would be better spent on proper Plods, with a uniform & a big stick who can actually see the legal process through.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

All said, the plod need to enforce the laws, move them on and take away their ale.(Tell them Maundy have set up an off-licence, down Warmden Brook)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Oh I know, but they don't take any notice of real plod;)
Least we can say they have, deserved their pay a bit today, without doing all that walking, doing nowt:D

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

To the best of my knowledge it wasn't an Hyndburn Councillor, which makes it even more ludicrous that the quote attributed to or made by Clare in the LT is misleading

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

They've been gathering in the seating area at Avenue Parade/Eastgate of late it would seem. At least it's closer for Dorothy to trot along and chat to them....

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

They were sat in an empty market stall today...removing the stall might be next weeks task :rolleyes:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

To be honest over the years i've only ever seen drunkards & dossers sat on those seats anyway!...OK, of late they have been younger & more vocal & aggressive which has probably brought this to peoples attention more, but they've never been relaxing places to while away a half hour or so have they?...Dont think the benches will be missed really! As mentioned, as least these scumbags may end up nearer to "Maundy Mile" now!!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Also on the shoppers' route between the market and retail park. :(

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Don't be too harsh.

Because of the softly, softly approach taken by Maundy Grange,...

'Now do remember, that money's for electricity, to keep your sick granny warm, and not for those dirty drugs.'

...Accrington is able to support twelve villages in the opium producing areas of Afghanistan.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Though even better, they're Free Trade, and organic smack farmers.

So it's a win/win situation for Accrington.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Unfortunately these days shoppers dont seem to have a route that takes them too far outside the Supermarkets!

Made me laugh Britcliffe moaning that the proposed recycling vouchers should be able to be used in the Town Centre rather than Supermarkets!...Tesco came to Town on whose watch?

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Totally disagree. Years ago they were very relaxing places to while away half an hour or more, shooting the breeze and watching the world go by. They've been taken over by scum who are openly breaking the law and not a damn thing has been done to tackle the problem.

Hyndburn council should hang its head in shame at this pathetic, limp-wristed, PC-obsessed approach it has taken to dealing with the problem.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Every saturday morning I take my 80 year old parents down to Accrington and as my father suffers from Epilepsy, Parkinsons, Angina and Diabetis and cannot walk very far we usually leave him sat on the benches by the market hall whilst we just do a quick round of the market. This is usually about 9.30 before the drunks get up and it has worked fine until now.

So please could I ask if you could move the benches say about 11am every morning and put them back when the drunks have fallen over then everyone will be happy :rolleyes:

or I will just have to take my portable deck chair for my dad

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

I agree the Council have got it wrong....but its the Police who are fault here!...However, i guess you probably have a few years on me, so can recall further back, but i've certainly seen nowt but drunks sat on those seats for the last 10 - 15 years!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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. :rolleyes:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Probably because the ones who were waiting for friends, sitting to have a quick ciggy or rest our legs move away when the miscreants start to gather...

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Cheeky sod! ;) Surely the point is, the council are trying to make the town centre more appealing for shoppers, so they should be reclaiming these benches for the use of ordinary citizens, rather than moving them. And, yes, it is a police matter but surely the council should be working closely with the police to make the town centre an unwelcoming place for these toerags.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Yes thats no doubt correct, but as i say, its not a recent problem...and the Police have done sod all about it!...More often than not they are seen laughing & joking with these scum!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

What it should be like - not a drunk in sight

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

LOl!..I didn't mean that in a demeaning sense, i have the utmost respect for my elders opinions!!
We all know over the years there are many things that Hyndburn Council have got wrong, but i do feel in general they have tried to make things better for shoppers, even if the end result has sometimes been woefull. I do feel that of late, the police seem to be rather lax in their approach to unsocial behaviour in the town centre though! If the Police were doing their job correctly, there would be no reason why benches could not be left there to be enjoyed by the decent majority.

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Nice shot...but where are the statues? Don't tell me the council have moved them, too! :eek:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Perhaps, but surely the council should be making the strongest representations possible to the police about sorting this out? Perhaps they are, but we don't know because no councillors from the ruling group have seen fit to come on here and tell us anything.

Evening, Bernard. ;)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

I was not thinking about my garden, I know many areas in Hyndburn crying out for benches ( and bins but thats another story )

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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!). :)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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:mad:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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! ;)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

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.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

They're not getting any better Groove - maybe find a new joke book?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Sadly noticed last week that the benches are still not back.

I take it their removal has solved the problem of town centre drinking, and there have been no further incidents?

Or has the problem just moved elsewhere?

Like the non-alcoholic users of the benches have had to.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

They say a picture means a 1000 words and this one says Hyndburn is the place to be - unless you want to sit down

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/site/st...yndburnNew.gif


I like this picture from Hyndburns website as well, I think where that van is parked has yellow lines. Did they really take and use a picture showing illegal parking is ok in Hyndburn or am I wrong about the yellow lines?

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/images/..._Rd_Banner.jpg

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

I fail to grasp why they moved em, instead of sorting the problem, everyone suffers fer the few "Typical":rolleyes:

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Its all part of the new way to police problems. If you cant be bothered enforcing/using the laws and rules we already have then make up some more.

A bit like the new 20mph zones that I am in favour of. They will fail to work because the police wont enforce them. They fail to enforce the 30mph zones successfully so the 20mph zones will be no different.

Next they will build more speed bumps to try and stop you doing more than 20mph and the real problem that they dont enforce the limits will be ignored.

Same thing as the benches, they cant be bothered using the current no drinking laws and others so instead they take away the benches.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Groove agrees that it was typically wrong and short sighted of the council to move the benches. Groove also noted that 3 days before the removal of the benches, the council installed special cigarette bins to accompany the benches, no doubt at extreme cost....Groove thinks Hyndburn is run by buffoons.

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Ya penalising everybody for the action of a few:(

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

What are you saying Neil? Is it that the cops don't get down to the market hall and move these dossers on? Why don't they do it? Surely they can see 'em there and if it's supposidly an alcohol-free zone then there's no reason for them not to do so (unless, of course, the dossers complain their human rights are being violated under EU law).

I must admit, I'm confused about this one....if everyone else can see it, why can't Lancashire's finest?

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

There's none so blind as those who don't want to see Tealeaf;)

Re: HBC have taken away the benches from outside the market
 

Groove has witnessed the Police/ community wardens or whatever they are confiscate alcohol off people sat on the benches. Groove now beleives the same drinkers now congragate on Church.St...Groove thinks that maybe the market traders who have stalls adjacent to these benches were in some way influential to this decision. It can't have been good for business having a butty van and seating area next to the drinkers, who can be quite intimidating to some folk.