AlcoholWatch - Tackling alcohol-related disorder in the city-centre

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City-centre case study

As well as youth-disorder, the city-centre off-licences also have to deal with additional problems of street-drinkers. Community Support Officer James Maguire introduced the scheme to the city-centre after seeing the success of the initiaitive in the East and West End.

Using intelligence from the scheme, the city-centre police team noticed that one off-licence was selling alcohol to young people and homeless people. They spoke to the shop to find out what was happening. They discovered that a lone female was working in the shop during the evening and she felt intimidated by the people coming into the shop. By getting support from her local police team and Safe Newcastle, she stopped stocking the cheap brands of alcohol that were attracting street-drinkers and young people. Since then, she has not had a problem in her store and the confidence to contact her local police team if any issues ever arise again. Residents have also felt the benefit, as there are less street-drinkers in the area.

Left to right Pierina from  Angelscope, Kevin McGready Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator for Safe Newcastle, Ramesh Jassal, Proprietor Clayton News and CSO James Maguire. 

Another success story is Clayton St News. Since joining the scheme, Ramesh Jassal has noticed a big decrease in anti-social behaviour and trouble in his shop. Ramesh has also changed what he sells in his shop. He no longer sells the cheap brands of cide, beers and wines that used to attract street drinkers.

Many businesses and residents in the area have told James how much better the area is since the introduction of AlcoholWatch. They have noticed a big decline in anti-social behaviour and feel safer.