Traders call for action over street drinking

Business owners in York have said street drinking and anti-social behaviour are putting visitors off part of the city centre.

Traders in Colliergate and nearby St Saviourgate said disorderly behaviour, including public drinking, shouting and intimidation, had become a regular problem.

They said groups often gathered near the junction with Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, with some tourists choosing to avoid the area.

David Addy, manager of No 1-4 News, said: "They shout and bawl, drink, some of them pass out and are lying on the floor."

Addy said anti-social behaviour had been an issue throughout the 30 years he had worked in the area.

"We get it on a daily basis and we just have to deal with it unfortunately," he said.

"It doesn't put off our regular customers, they know about them, but it definitely puts off the tourists."

Addy said groups of five or six people regularly gathered there, although numbers could rise into double figures.

Tom Calvert, owner of stationery and gift shop Avorium on Colliergate, said: "The behaviour of people in the area impacts us directly.

"We've got Shambles, King's Square and Fossgate nearby which all attract people who are put off coming down Colliergate because of the behaviour."

He added that drinkers were often seen moving through the area, shouting and causing disruption.

City of York Council said it was considering stronger powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Anna Perrett, the council's Labour executive member for communities, said officials were looking at extending conditions attached to the city centre's Public Space Protection Order, which could increase enforcement powers if approved.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said plans for a three-year Community Safety Strategy and proposals to strengthen measures against anti-social behaviour were due to be considered by the council's executive in November.

North Yorkshire Police said officers regularly patrolled the city centre and targeted known street-drinking hotspots.

Ch Insp Ryan Chapman said anti-social behaviour across York had fallen by 8%, although he acknowledged street drinking remained a concern and urged residents to continue reporting incidents.

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