Fears Tunstall town drink ban will drive drunks to housing estate
FAMILIES fear a town centre crackdown on alcohol will shift problems of drink-fuelled disorder to their estate.
Police were yesterday given new powers to tackle problems with drinking in public in areas of Tunstall.
But the town's Hoskins estate, which is home to almost 800 families, will not be covered by the Alcohol Restriction Zone (ARZ), despite 43 residents asking for it to be included.
Terry Cope, Greenfields Tunstall Residents' Association chairman, described the decision as "unfair".
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The 60-year-old, who lives on the estate, said: "A lot of people are worried this is only going to move the problems from the town centre to our estate.
"It's the only area of town the zone will not apply to. They should have done a blanket ban on the whole town."
The ARZ will come into force as soon as signs advertising the order are put up and will cover the town centre, nearby terrace streets, Tunstall Park and the Bankeyfields estate.
Figures show there were 219 incidents of alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour in Tunstall town centre in the 12 months to the end of January.
Incidents have included assaults, thefts, drunks carrying knives and hurling abuse at passers-by and shopkeepers.
But police say there were only three incidents of alcohol-related disorder on the Hoskins estate in the same period, which was not enough for the zone to be extended.
Speaking at Stoke-on-Trent City Council's licensing and general purposes committee, Sergeant Paul Clarke, who covers Tunstall, said: "We have done a lot of research and the statistics don't support the necessity to widen the zone.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and if the problems disperse we can look at widening the zone."
"We will be able to sustain extra policing of the zone for the first four weeks after the order is introduced, but after that we will have to go back to normal policing levels to enforce it."
The ARZ will give police greater powers to confiscate drink and arrest people who are causing problems.
Residents had earlier presented a 829-signature petition to the city council in support of the plans.
Independent councillor Lee Wanger, who represents Tunstall, said: "I've noticed a large increase in anti-social drinking in Tunstall and this has started to cause problems to businesses.
"We want Tunstall to be a nice place to come shopping and this order will give police a new weapon in their arsenal."
Bill McDonald, chairman of Tunstall Chamber of Trade, below left, said: "We are getting a very bad reputation outside of the area and need some support to help bring things back in line."
Earlier stories:
Crimewave sparked by drinkers in Tunstall
'Drinks ban will improve Tunstall's reputation'
Families back plans for alcohol-free zone to stop street drinkers in Tunstall
Traders back plans for alcohol-free zone in Tunstall after problems with drunks
David Elks: The death of hyperlocal, or just a move to something different?
Comments
by bryanseenior
Saturday, May 12 2012, 12:07AM
“Tunstall police just walk past Them especialy The plastic one's who get £400 a week .”
by Milton_Keanes
Tuesday, April 10 2012, 4:55PM
“So much for the new rules.
1010am and two of the little darlings, a male and a female, were staggering up Tunstall High Street. One with a can of export and the other with half a 2 litre bottle of strong cider.
Same as any other law - not worth tuppence if there's nobody around to enforce it...”
by GoldenTheVoid
Tuesday, April 03 2012, 2:01PM
“As it happens, the young lady's Ace can actually contains a rather cheeky Chateauneuf Du Pape, but she conceals it in a can of cider so as not to appear pretentious.
If you took the time to look beyond her initial appearance, she is obviously pondering over a rather thought-provoking passage from Albert Camus' existentialist work 'The Plague'.
And surely it's obvious that the two chaps in the foreground are having a heated exchange about Greece's continued involvement in the EU?”
by thomasthedog
Tuesday, March 20 2012, 5:02PM
“I went into Tunstall today to do a bit of shopping I felt really uncomfortable,I have never seen so many drunks,on the high street,in tower square,the decent people of this city should not have to put up with this.”
by E_D_Wivens
Thursday, March 08 2012, 8:04PM
“In Tunstall they still throw rocks at the moon when they want to put the lights out.”
by sloblocks
Sunday, March 04 2012, 11:00PM
“I've only read the last few comments on here. It would seem that you know most letters of the alphabet but you can't put them in the right order to make words. Are you still waiting to discover fire?”
by Wozzer101
Thursday, March 01 2012, 7:22PM
“Mower, what are you on, no-one but pigpengary as said one derogatory think about any person, Gary is the one we named the people in the photo, so I would have a word with him the next time you are in his fine hostelry, if he is a landlord, of witch I very much doubt.”
by mower79
Thursday, March 01 2012, 6:59PM
“Gary, ingo is my brother mate I was in your pub with him last saturday 3pm onwards.this is why im sick of people ****bagging carl he is a good lad. I can honestly say he has never abused any members of public he is just enjoying a drink with friends and anne marie is a brilliant aunty to my kids just back off the lot of you or im going to seek legal advice”
by Wozzer101
Thursday, March 01 2012, 6:31PM
“And that the point of this, as long as there is room in his till Gary is going the let them drink, blind drunk or not. It don't matter to him, as long as they don't kick off in the Pig Pen. What happens after they are in there own areas is of no consiren of his.”
by devowhipit
Thursday, March 01 2012, 4:24PM
“pigpen gary.
who does ur karaoke”