Rob Shorrock

The Community Panel of the Council have been fretting about people drinking alcohol outside. You would guess from an article in the Grantham Journal that there was a major problem, particularly when the Tory Chair Cllr Peter Martin-Mayhew suggests that because having restrictions in certain areas would move the 'problem' elsewhere so a total ban seemed inevitable.

However, reading the minutes of the meeting it appears very clear that people don't want a ban and tellingly the record states, "Although there was a lot of anecdotal information concerning drinking and anti-social behaviour there was not enough evidence available that linked the two and that would stand up in court".

However, why should that stop a committee with the prohibitionist bit between its teeth. They have decided that further work is required to gather 'tangible' facts and figures(?!)  

I wrote a letter to the Grantham Journal which was published but unfortunately I forgot to copy.