Police are considering imposing curfews in green spaces in the town centre as part of plans to combat under-age drinking and anti-social behaviour among young people.
Young people from across town have started congregating on Beck’s Field and Burrs Field opposite the Quarry during the recent sunny weather, with some parties being organised through social networking sites such as Facebook. Local residents have complained about the areas being left in a mess, and police officers are now considering extending alcohol exclusion zones in force in the Quarry to the two fields.
PC Mike Dulson, local policing officer for Porthill, said under the restrictions police would be able to seize alcohol from people acting in an anti-social or abusive manner. But he added if necessary police could also consider imposing curfew limits on people gathering in specific areas, although such restrictions could only be implemented after extensive consultation with local residents.
Police enforced a crackdown on the sites last summer, but PC Dulson said such resources could not be used every year and said the police were now looking at more effective long-term solutions.
PC Dulson said: “We have had a couple of days already when we have had to send resources to calm the situation. It is a centre-point for the town, we believe people from across the town are coming here, and that parties are being organised on websites like Facebook.
“We are going out to consultation in the next few months with a view to extending the alcohol exclusion zone from the Quarry across the river. Something else we could consider is putting curfew orders in place to kick people off a site at a given time – but that would require extra consultation and couldn’t be implemented at immediate notice.”
Max Winchester, Shropshire councillor for Quarry and Coton Hill, said he had received a number of reports from residents saying parties had been held late at night and that people were worried at the state such beauty spots were being left in.
By Peter Kitchen