Street drinking in Harehills 'even worse' six months on from tougher alcohol rules
People there tell us they're scared to walk the streets
Last updated 12th Jul 2019
We're hearing street drinking in Harehills is getting worse and worse, six months on from tougher alcohol licensing rules taking effect.
New restrictions were brought in in January to make it harder for premises to get licenses to sell booze but half a year on and people tell us the situation's as bad as ever.
They say it's a "tragedy" they see drinkers every day on the high street and people are scared to leave their own homes.
Donna has groups of them right outside her window constantly:
"From six o'clock in the morning, we've got street drinkers, fighting, drugs - it's just a nightmare.
"We can't let our kids go and play out - they make rude remarks to my elder children when they walk past by themselves. Trying to sleep in this house up to 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning is a nightmare as well because they're all screaming and fighting. They urinating against my wall."
Neil runs community groups in the area - and collects evidence on street drinking for the council and police:
"I walk down this lane three or four times a day and I see it every single time. I think there's only been once in the last six months where I've walked down this street and I haven't seen anybody drinking. But then if I'd have turned round and walked back up again someone would have been into an off licence. It's a constant thing.
"The school children seeing people drinking at 7am or 8am on the way to school is not a good thing. It leads to anti-social behaviour because we know that the more you drink the more there's a chance of violent altercations. 70% of shops in Harehills sell alcohol"
Worries have been voiced for a while that there are too many off licenses in Harehills, leading to a Cumulative Impact Policy - or CIP - taking effect in mid January.
It means premises have to prove the sale of alcohol wouldn't have a negative impact the community before they're given a license.
Neil says it's not the key to sorting the problems out:
"The C.I.P did come in but it hasn't stop people drinking, it's stopped more shops becoming an alcohol shop. What needs to happen - and it's possibly just started to happen - the last two Mondays we've had direct police action on the key trouble spots on the lane. We just need more of this, we just need more police presence."
The council say they're working closely with the police and the community to tackle the problem.