Oxford Drinkers Need Place to meet

Drinkers need place to meet
By Reg Little

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A new report is calling for the creation of a special garden in Oxford set aside for the city's street drinkers.
A "wet garden" is now badly needed to give street drinkers a place to meet up and drink alcohol outdoors in a managed way, the city council report said.
And it urges that the site should be located near the city centre, to be accessible "for the great majority of likely clients".


It said: "Although the setting up of a wet garden would initially require pump priming (start-up cash), savings would be made in the long run on arrests, hospital stays, policing casualty admissions, health care, custodial sentences, street maintenance and security."
The report from the council's community housing officer, Graham Stratford, said council officers and voluntary groups had so far been unsuccessful in the search for a suitable site.
He said: "It is probably true to say that all current sites and arrangements in the city centre, for example St Giles and St Ebbe's, have been exhausted.
"The redevelopment of the West End may offer the only possibility."
And, while the introduction of alcohol-free zones in Oxford city centre four years ago benefited local people and businesses, the zones had "displaced" drinkers from the city centre to residential areas such as Abingdon Road, Jericho and the Cowley Road.
The report said, ideally, the wet garden should be attached to a night shelter, away from schools, shopping, tourist and homes.
But restaurateur Clinton Pugh, who wants to see street cafe culture bloom in Oxford, branded the idea "ridiculous and bizarre".
Mr Pugh, whose restaurants include Cafe CoCo, the Kazbar and the Lemon Tree, said: "I thought Oxford was trying to encourage tourism. What a wonderful display this will present to visitors! It would simply encourage other street drinkers to come along to enjoy the party atmosphere."
Susanna Pressel, city councillor for Jericho and Osney, said: "The whole city is now an alcohol-free zone.
"But there are still people who have an addiction. They have to go somewhere. The problem is finding a location."
The issue will be discussed at the council's central, south and west area committee on Tuesday.
8:55am Friday 9th February 2007