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Ipswich super-strength alcoholic drink campaign hailed a success | Ipswich super-strength alcoholic drink campaign hailed a success |
(about 11 hours later) | |
A year after its launch, a campaign to stop Ipswich shops selling super-strength beer and cider has helped cut crime, Suffolk Police say. | A year after its launch, a campaign to stop Ipswich shops selling super-strength beer and cider has helped cut crime, Suffolk Police say. |
The Reducing the Strength campaign had signed-up two thirds of the town's shops to the project. | The Reducing the Strength campaign had signed-up two thirds of the town's shops to the project. |
Police said the idea was aimed at cutting anti-social behaviour by street drinkers. | Police said the idea was aimed at cutting anti-social behaviour by street drinkers. |
Officers said the number of identified street drinkers had dropped from 78 to 38 since last September. | Officers said the number of identified street drinkers had dropped from 78 to 38 since last September. |
Suffolk Police is thought to be the first in the UK to introduce such a scheme. | Suffolk Police is thought to be the first in the UK to introduce such a scheme. |
The force's statistics for the first six months of the scheme showed the number of anti-social "incidents of concern" dropped from 191 to 94 compared to the same period the previous year. | The force's statistics for the first six months of the scheme showed the number of anti-social "incidents of concern" dropped from 191 to 94 compared to the same period the previous year. |
Although the police and authorities believe the scheme has been a success, some shops have refused to join it. | Although the police and authorities believe the scheme has been a success, some shops have refused to join it. |
Granspen on St Matthew's Street is one of the shops that has not signed up to Reducing The Strength. | Granspen on St Matthew's Street is one of the shops that has not signed up to Reducing The Strength. |
Street drinkers can still be found with cans on the public benches outside the store. | Street drinkers can still be found with cans on the public benches outside the store. |
Employee Jordan Saggers said: "Alcohol, including super-strength, is about 25% of our trade. | Employee Jordan Saggers said: "Alcohol, including super-strength, is about 25% of our trade. |
"Even the shops which don't sell super-strength still sell spirits which have a lot higher alcohol content, so it doesn't make sense. | |
"Selling alcohol is not illegal, but we don't sell to people who are already intoxicated and nor do we promote these types of drinks." | "Selling alcohol is not illegal, but we don't sell to people who are already intoxicated and nor do we promote these types of drinks." |
The East of England Co-op's 53 Suffolk stores no longer sell the super-strength drinks. | The East of England Co-op's 53 Suffolk stores no longer sell the super-strength drinks. |
Roger Grosvenor, its executive officer, said: "It hasn't affected our trading figures at all. | Roger Grosvenor, its executive officer, said: "It hasn't affected our trading figures at all. |
"The big positive is the qualitative benefit - it's removed the fear that staff had over how a drunk could react and now they just don't come in. | "The big positive is the qualitative benefit - it's removed the fear that staff had over how a drunk could react and now they just don't come in. |
"We believe it's made Ipswich a better place to work, live and play as a whole." | "We believe it's made Ipswich a better place to work, live and play as a whole." |
Insp Andrew Mason said: "We've had significant reductions in calls to the police as a result of street drinking and a reduction in thefts of alcohol from shops that have removed super-strength drinks. | Insp Andrew Mason said: "We've had significant reductions in calls to the police as a result of street drinking and a reduction in thefts of alcohol from shops that have removed super-strength drinks. |
"We had 12 identified locations for street drinking and that's down to two now and our outreach workers can engage with them. | "We had 12 identified locations for street drinking and that's down to two now and our outreach workers can engage with them. |
"We had 78 identified street drinkers and that's halved, so we've helped about 40 people rebuild their lives. | "We had 78 identified street drinkers and that's halved, so we've helped about 40 people rebuild their lives. |
"If you're a street drinker with not much money and you can be taken over your daily alcohol limit with one 89p can, then there's a big difference between that and being able to buy a larger bottle of vodka." | "If you're a street drinker with not much money and you can be taken over your daily alcohol limit with one 89p can, then there's a big difference between that and being able to buy a larger bottle of vodka." |
People can still be seen drinking alcohol on Ipswich's streets despite bye-laws which aim to stop it. | People can still be seen drinking alcohol on Ipswich's streets despite bye-laws which aim to stop it. |
One man who did not wish to be named, said he drank 20-30 cans a day. | One man who did not wish to be named, said he drank 20-30 cans a day. |
"I beg for the money and it costs about £30. | "I beg for the money and it costs about £30. |
"Everyone who wants it knows where to get it still and if [the authorities] completely take super-strength off the shelves, they will just turn to the vodka and steal from shops." | "Everyone who wants it knows where to get it still and if [the authorities] completely take super-strength off the shelves, they will just turn to the vodka and steal from shops." |
Neil MacDonald, portfolio holder for public health at Ipswich Borough Council, said: "It's one tool in our tool box of making Ipswich a better place. | Neil MacDonald, portfolio holder for public health at Ipswich Borough Council, said: "It's one tool in our tool box of making Ipswich a better place. |
"Anti-social behaviour has gone down, so that's a good thing. | "Anti-social behaviour has gone down, so that's a good thing. |
"Liver damage is on the increase in our hospitals, so there's an important message here that strong alcohol is harmful and banning super-strength will help improve public health." | "Liver damage is on the increase in our hospitals, so there's an important message here that strong alcohol is harmful and banning super-strength will help improve public health." |
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