LOUTISH BEHAVIOUR IS DRIVING CUSTOM AWAY
Businesses demanding more police action
BUSINESSES are demanding police and council action after complaints about drug addicts and alcoholics defecating outside their shops, racially abusing staff and snatching food from takeaway customers.
They say the problem has got worse during the coronavirus lockdown with issues centred on Crown Bank and Stafford Street, in Hanley. And they say the rise in loutish behaviour is driving customers away.
Now they want Stoke-on-trent City Council to provide public loos to stop people going to the toilet in the Market Lane alleyway. Recent incidents have included:
■ Human faeces left at the back of businesses;
■ Yobs snatching food from takeaway customers;
■ Female shoppers being cat-called;
■ Staff being racially abused;
■ Discarded needles on the ground;
■ Rough sleepers blocking doorways. Businessman Mozafar Kakawisi, who owns Fufu’s Cut barbers, said: “A lot of people are urinating and defecating in the Market Lane alleyway next to our business. People are drunk and disorderly. This has been going on for a while and got worse recently. In the last 12 months it has got worse.
“We have spoken to police and the local authority but there seems to be no effective actions put in place to deal with this.
“We’re seeing a lot of new faces all the time, alcoholics and drug abusers, in the town centre.
“A few days ago, one of them walked into the next-door takeaway and snatched food from a customer. He had to be picked up by police.
“Businesses are already going through a terrible time, this is the last thing we need.
“It will deter people from coming into the town and if it goes on for a long time, then I don’t know if I will be able to stay where I am.”
Fellow businesses are also calling for an end to the current troubles.
Baleen Azez manages Hanley Flames, on Crown Bank.
The 21-year-old said: “We’ve seen someone urinating in the street next to us. I’ve seen a lot of needles all over the floor, it’s absolutely disgusting.
“People who visit Hanley ask where the police are. Last week a guy came in and he snatched a slice of pizza from a customer.
“I don’t understand how people can drink in the middle of town in broad daylight, swearing at people and bothering our customers.
“Our staff get racially abused and it shouldn’t happen in the 21st century.”
Michael Caine, aged 30, who owns The Cellar Café Bar, on Percy Street, said: “We have a lot of people rummaging through the bins in the alleyway.
“We started one day with a full bin and when we finished it was empty and you could see them in there. We’ve also had to move a rough sleeper out of our doorway. I think they do put people off coming up to Hanley. My grandparents wouldn’t come to Hanley because it scares the older people.
“There is a guy who walks every day up and down the street carrying a three litre bottle of Frosty Jacks. Someone is selling them alcohol and drugs and it needs to be stopped.”
The Sentinel has contacted Stokeon-trent City Council for a statement regarding the issues.
Staffordshire Police have confirmed a man has been charged in relation to the takeaway incident.