Total alcohol ban on Sutton Coldfield streets

Feb 20 2009 by Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

SUTTON Coldfield is to become completely alcohol free in a bid to stop a rising tide of booze-fuelled behaviour in the suburbs.

Much of the town is already covered by street booze bans but now the two remaining areas, Four Oaks and Walmley, are aiming to complete the jigsaw.

Police have applied for alcohol-free zones which give officers powers to confiscate booze from anyone seen drinking in the street, parks and any other open public places following a recent rise in alcohol-related crime.

The powers have been used in particular to target rowdy teenagers swigging from cans on street corners and now could be expanded to cover the whole town.

Residents and businesses in Four Oaks and Walmley are being asked to comment on the proposals before city licensing chiefs consider the application.

PC Colin Berry, of Sutton Coldfield police, said: “The areas of Four Oaks, Mere Green and Roughley have been subject to anti-social behaviour which have been fuelled by alcohol.

“It has been identified a faction of youths are responsible for problems.”

He said youths congregated in certain areas and consumed “vast quantities” of alcohol going to and from the gatherings.

“Along with the dumping of empty tins the youths also become rowdy, causing alarm, harassment and distress at unsociable hours.”

He said the behaviour often escalated from knocking on doors and hurling abuse up to grafitti and vandalism to cars and homes and on occasion physical assault.

Police in Walmley have reported a recent rise in similar behaviour.

Residents now have four weeks to comment on the proposal after which the city’s licensing committee will consider the police request.