Assessing the impact of alcohol use in Ealing
Comments from West Ealing Neighbours
The national charity Alcohol Concern has been asked to undertake an alcohol needs assessment for the borough on behalf of Ealing Drug and Alcohol Team. They asked a range of residents groups for their comments to a series of questions. This is our response
What negative effects is alcohol misuse having locally? The most noticeable effects are street drinkers in and around Dean Gardens in central West Ealing. Dean Gardens is a very well used small green space with a fenced off play area for young children and an open small sport area with a basketball hoop for older kids. Once the weather is better Dean Gardens seems to be a congregation area for street drinkers and they can (unwittingly) intimidate others in or wishing to use the space. The problem has changed in the last few years with many of these street drinkers now coming from countries such as Poland, the Baltic States etc. The police do move them on but the street drinkers simply go elsewhere - moving them on does nothing to tackle the problem. So, street drinkers have a negative impact on how residents feel about West Ealing and how they use or don't use Dean Gardens. In addition, the problem is exacerbated by the number, about 14, of shops in the high street that sell alcohol with a few having a 24-hour licence. Equally, a number of our members have suggested that the sales of superstrength lagers should be stopped. Again, quite a few of our members have said that come Friday the centre of Ealing Broadway is a no-go area as it's packed with youngsters who seem determined to get drunk. This creates a reluctance by some to venture out at night and contributes towards a fear of crime.
Are local people expressing concern about problems related to alcohol misuse?
Yes. The problems are mostly from spring to autumn. A number of our members have complained about street drinkers in Dean Gardens. When they are moved on from there they tend to go round the back of the Northfield Allotments and on to the Council estate backing on to Dean Gardens. We have had complaints from both allotment holders and estate residents. Are there particular areas which have higher levels of alcohol related problems or locations or times of day or days of the week which are particularly associated with alcohol misuse? The main areas are Dean Gardens, Green Man Estate, the top of Melbourne near Sainsbury's and the Uxbridge Road, especially outside some bars including the Polish pub opposite Daniels. Here people spill out on to the street and make it difficult for pedestrians. What services or other responses do you feel need to be put in place to meet these problems? We are very supportive of the work done by St John's Church with their homeless worker and weekend soup kitchens. One of the difficulties is people's perceptions and not knowing what services are at work and what is being achieved. For many it appears little or nothing is being done to deal with the alcohol-related problems. WEN is happy to help, perhaps by having this as an item on a future public meeting so the message can be communicated about what is being achieved. It's difficult to know what else can be done, as most of us do not know the limits and restrictions placed upon drug and alcohol workers by budget constraints and the various laws/rules about services available to migrant workers. We do not know, for example, whether there is adequate help available in terms of places in rehab/detox clinics or whether there are sufficient beds for homeless people etc. There is a significant need to get this sort of information into the public domain as it may result in pressure from residents for more money to be spent on these services if lack of money is a part of the problem.
David Highton Chair, West Ealing Neighbours 22nd May 2008 |
