Anger grows in Hillfields over anti-social behaviour

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Street drinkers are putting people off visiting buildings in the centre of Hillfields, according to traders, charities and residents.



Nuisance alcoholics have been a long-standing problem in the area forcing agencies and residents to remove raised flower beds in Victoria Square because they were being used as makeshift beds for drunks.

As a result the problem has been moved just a few metres to the back of the square - frustrating traders and organisations based in the area.

Baktiar Abdullah, from Sky Blue Pizza, on the corner of the square, said drunks were coming into the takeaway and asking customers for cash or asking staff for free food.

“Sometimes they just lie down right in front of the shop,” he said. “Obviously that’s not good for business.

“Sometimes the police come and take them away but they just come back.”

Said Omar, manager of Fingertravel travel agents and internet cafe, said customers were being put off from going in.

“Some have young children,” he said. “They say they don’t come round here because they see these people.

“They’re here seven days a week, sometimes from 10am-10pm.”

The problem prompted Hillfields resident Jericho Wilson to launch a petition, which has been signed more than 100 times and handed to Coventry City Council.

It will now be considered by the authority in the coming weeks.

Trisha Evans, manager at the WATCH centre, based in Victoria Square, said she was having to increase security to protect staff.

“We used to come to work and people were asleep in the flower beds but now the problem has moved and they are just sitting under the tree,” she said.

“At the back of the square they’ve found syringes and people are urinating.

“We know drinkers have been driven out of the city centre and it’s pushing them to places like here.

“It’s not the regular faces either, these are new people. I’m a bit concerned about the safety of the staff.”

The recent increase in nuisance drinkers comes as the Watch centre and some businesses in the area are enjoying an increase in footfall.

It also comes as the weather improves and residents prepare for this year’s Hillfields Community Festival, which will be held on June 27.

St Michaels Coun Jim O’Boyle said the police and local authority needed to do more to tackle the problem.

“What would happen if this was going on in War Memorial Park?” he said. “ They would send in MI5, infiltrate the group who would be taken away never to be seen again.

“It seems like the attitude is this is Hillfields, what do you expect.

“When we had issues with prostitution the public said they wanted it sorted. The police said it would just move the problem.

“Well so what - the people I represent don’t care, they just want it off their street and out of their face.”

Insp Gareth Mason said: “We understand street drinking is annoying for local people and when we are made aware of a problem in a particular area, our officers will stop individuals, throw away their drinks and – for repeat offenders – issue fixed penalty notices.

"Individuals are also offered the services of local health and support groups to tackle the root cause of their problem.

“We have only received three reports since the start of the year relating to street drinking in Hillfields however, we are aware drinking in public places does tend to increase over the summer and we have patrol plans in place to tackle this."

“Furthermore, as part of the Hillfields action plan – used by the police and other agencies to address a range of issues in the area - we will be installing more drinking exclusion zone signs in the Village Square to deter street drinkers.

“Anyone who is concerned about street drinking in Coventry should call us on 101 so we can identify and address problematic locations and individuals.”

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More police for Hillfields after complaints about drinking in the street

Ten new volunteer police officers will take to the beat in Hillfields to help tackle street drinking and other issues.

The special constables will join the St Michaels Neighbourhood Team, which covers the city centre and Hillfields, in September.

About 70 residents signed a petition calling for action last month, complaining that street drinkers were making the square a no-go area.

Some business owners claimed that drunks were lying on the floor of their premises begging for money and food.

Now it’s been confirmed that 10 new special constables will head to the area later in the year in an attempt to tackle the issues.

A report, set to be discussed by Coventry City Council on Friday, says that the issue is under-reported.

The report states: “From reviewing reports received by partners it appears that the issue doesn’t appear to be getting reported to agencies in numbers that would indicate the prevalence of the issue as felt by the community.

“West Midlands Police received three reports regarding street drinking in Hillfields from the start of 2015 up until mid-June.

“The disparity between the number of reports made to the police in relation to street drinking and the public perception as reflected in the petition shows the need for awareness to be raised with the public about reporting issues as and when they occur.

“The community and local businesses will be reminded of correct reporting procedures and telephone numbers.”

As part of efforts to make the square a nicer place for visitors and tenants new signs will be put up warning about the consequences of street drinking.

Nuisance drinkers could also find themselves being hit with Criminal Behaviour Orders, which police have used recently to ban beggars from the city centre.

Police tactics for dealing with nuisance drinkers show that they are threatened with a criminal behaviour order on the fourth occasion they are found drinking alcohol in a designated no alcohol zone.

The orders can be tailored to deal with a variety of offenders.

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The report states: “From reviewing reports received by partners it appears that the issue doesn’t appear to be getting reported to agencies in numbers that would indicate the prevalence of the issue as felt by the community.

My experience has been that minor crimes are seldom recorded officially as they make the crime figures for a particular area look bad!