Gloucester City Centre
The street which shames our city: Could alcohol be banned in Gloucester's street drinking hot spot?
For years, street drinking in London Road has shamed our city
Matt Discombe
People drinking in the street in London Road. There's no suggestion the people pictured behaved antisocially or violently.
For years it has been a thorny issue which has brought shame to our city.
Street drinkers, many of whom hang out in a rose garden in London Road, close to Gloucester city centre, have upset neighbours and intimidated scores of visitors and passers-by with their antisocial - and sometimes violent - behaviour.
Just last week, a man collapsed following a mass brawl in the busy street in the middle of the afternoon.
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And nearby residents have long complained about the street drinkers using their gardens as a toilet.
But measures could soon be put in place to deter the street drinking and bad behaviour.
Gloucester City Council is considering a public space protection order for the area.
Local authorities can implement such orders which bans specified things from being done within a restricted area. Often, they are used to prohibit the drinking of alcohol in public.
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Wellington Road resident Simon Ashley, 52, who lives near the rose garden, said even children are being verbally abused by the street drinkers.
Simon Ashley.
He said: "Anything would be a way forward. It's actually getting worse so something needs to be done urgently.
"They are very loud and intimidating to bystanders, passers-by and residents. They get louder as they get through the day and become more intoxicated.
"The only way forward would be for the council to fence it off and turn it into a rose garden and open it as and when. It's never going to stop until you stop people going in it."
Plans are at an early stage and any order would be subject to a public consultation taking place.
The move follows the widespread furore caused when newsagent's Sedoo's Shop, opposite the garden, applied for a licence to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.
More than 70 residents, the police, various nearby businesses and local care organisations looking after many addicts called for the licence to be refused.
They claimed it would exacerbate the existing issue of street drinkers continuing to drink throughout the early hours of the morning, causing more incidents of anti-social behaviour
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Councillor Jennie Watkins, cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods at Gloucester City Council (Con, Kingsway), said: "We want to reassure residents that the city council are working hard to tackle anti social behaviour.
"We met with partners and residents two weeks ago to talk about concerns and possible solutions. We want to target the roots of these issues not just move people on.
"We are working with partners such as the police, Project Solace and P3 to talk to people who are drinking in the area as they may need support from housing or drug and alcohol services."
Any order would come after 35 people signed a petition earlier this year asking the council to ban the drinking of alcohol in the rose garden.
Charity Easton, director at Change Grow Live, which looks to tackle drug and alcohol misuse across the county, said: " We understand alcohol can lead to antisocial behaviour which can have a real impact on local communities.
"We are working collaboratively with all services in Gloucestershire to support people who experience issues with alcohol, including those who would be impacted if proposed plans by the city centre no alcohol zone are introduced in Gloucester."
Gloucester City Council