🚀 go-pugleaf

On Mon, 6 Oct 1997, Paul H Griffiths wrote:

> In article <422915429wnr@njmcov.demon.co.uk>, Neil
> <neil@njmcov.demon.co.uk> writes
> >I am constructing a website based around the pathetic performance of 
> >Coventry City Council.
> 
> The "pathetic performance" you cite in your posting reads more like a
> list of personal gripes. The council probably banned the selling of
> drinks after 2.00 am to prevent a lot of drunken revellers disgorging
> onto the streets at 4.00 am. Bans on street drinking, provided that they
> are backed up by adequate care and support services for people with
> alcohol problems, can rid the area of louts who assault visitors and
> residents alike. If your favourite pub hasn't got an exception, it
> should apply for one. The council is well within its rights to aim for a
> mix of development in the city centre, rather than have wall-to-wall
> nightclubs and pubs. The police, of course, are not the council's
> responsibility (contact the local Police Authority). Finally you talk
> about "exposing the bastards" and getting "dirt" on them. Most local
> councillors I know are hard-working people who are genuinely concerned
> about the communities they represent. If you disagree with their
> decisions by all means say so, protest, and vote them out of office. The
> methods you advocate won't be anywhere near as successful.
> 
> By the way, I have no idea which political party runs Coventry City
> Council, nor do I suppose that the council never gets things wrong. I'm
> responding to your posting because I beleive councillors of all parties
> deserve more respect than shown in your post.
> -- 
> Paul H Griffiths                      Constituency Agent for
> paulg@worcesterlibdems.demon.co.uk    Worcester Liberal Democrats
> 
> 
You talk of Coventry Council not wanting "wall to wall nightclubs". 
You've obviously never been to Coventry. I grew up there, and it'd be 
nice if a City of it's size (300,00), had more than three nightclubs. And 
yes, banning drinking on the streets was an excellent idea; only, they 
are totally inflexible. A number of cafe/bars wanted to put chairs and 
tables out on the pavement during the summer. The council had no problem 
with that, but if some poor sod happened to be having a pint with his 
ploughman's, he'd get arrested. And this idea that stopping drinking at 
2am on licensed premises curbs violence just isn't true. Now nearly every 
place in Coventry with a late license kicks out at 2am, you still get 
fights - fights aren't premeditated, so the more pissed up idiots you 
have wandering the streets at the same time, the more likely it is that 
someone's going to get a kicking. it would make a lot more sense for the 
council to stagger the times of the major clubs (all three of them). That 
really would make a difference to violent crime in the city center.

Kerin.