Street drinking is “out of control” in Mitcham town centre, according to a local business owner, who says police are called out several times a week to deal with fights and smashed windows.
The café owner said the problems have become so severe that he is now considering leaving the town altogether. However, police powers to confiscate alcohol have recently expired, and Merton Council has no plans to renew the borough-wide Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).
The council said it already has “strong measures” to tackle alcohol-related anti-social behaviour (ASB), but opposition councillors called the decision not to renew the order without an alternative “premature”.
“Families and good people don’t come here, only alcoholics,” said Ali Shabaan, whose business Tag Elezz Cafe sits just metres from Mitcham’s historic Jubilee Clock Tower. While its location has helped make the café a popular spot for locals to socialise, it has also left it vulnerable to ASB emanating from Clocktower Square.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) last week, Ali said alcohol-related ASB is an almost daily occurrence in that part of the town centre. “The police are called out at least three to four times a week,” he said.
He said he recognises many of the street drinkers who frequent Clocktower Square or Fair Green across the road. “I do my best to manage them,” he added.
“They come here and ask for empty glasses for their drinks. If I say no, they smash my windows,” Ali said, pointing to the array of smashed and missing glass panels surrounding his café.
Ali, who has run the café for more than a decade, said street drinking has worsened in recent years, with incidents often turning violent. He added that street drinkers regularly cause further disruption in the town, including leaving empty alcohol tins behind and urinating in public.
Drinkers are also often seen passed out or being sick on the street, while a former drinker who now supports vulnerable people in the town centre showed the LDRS footage of alcohol-related sexual behaviour in the square after dark.
While Ali said he has a respect for Mitcham and supports the community by donating to food banks and providing electricity connections for local events, he said the recurring behaviour is taking a toll on his business. “I am thinking of leaving Mitcham, but I hope that this will change.”
Until July 25 this year, Mitcham town centre was subject to the PSPO. It allowed police to confiscate open alcoholic drinks from individuals in the town centre.
Merton’s Labour-led council introduced the borough-wide order in July 2023, but its expiry has left some locals concerned that police no longer have the powers needed to tackle street drinking.
“The police don’t currently have the power to take stronger action,” Ali told the LDRS. Another concerned resident, who did not give their name, said: “I can’t understand how the council has allowed this vital measure for public safety to expire with no replacement.”
They added: “There can be no justification for this failure, particularly given the council widely publicised its supposed increased focus on community safety on social media in the run-up to the recent local elections.”
The council confirmed that it is currently gathering evidence and reviewing options as part of a wider review of PSPOs. However, no decision has been made on whether to pursue a new alcohol-related order, and it is now removing signs relating to the expired order.
Lib Dem Councillor Victoria Wilson, who acts as the Shadow Lead for Community Safety, believes the PSPO should be reinstated to give police short-term powers. She told the LDRS: “We know anti-social behaviour linked to street drinking continues to be a problem in places like Mitcham town centre, and has been increasing in other areas of the borough like around Raynes Park station.
“The council should absolutely review the evidence to understand how best to tackle this issue and whether protection orders are needed for other problems like the use of nitrous oxide. But it seems premature not to renew the protection order for street drinking while there’s no alternative plan in place.”
Victor Gough, a lifelong Mitcham resident and former window cleaner, said he hopes to see change in the town and believes losing the PSPO will not help. “It does worry me,” he told the LDRS while sitting in Clocktower Square.
However, as a member of the local faith-based Street Pastor group for nearly two decades, he holds a more positive view of the town centre. “I am saddened to see what is going on in Mitcham, but it is going on all over the world,” he said.
“There is more investment in Wimbledon, and little investment seen in Mitcham. It is more profitable to invest in Wimbledon.”
While he acknowledged the troubles facing Mitcham and the impacts of street drinking, he also felt Mitcham has a “sense of community not seen in other areas of London”.
“I have a passion for Mitcham,” he said, adding that his work with the Street Pastors, where he provides support to vulnerable people, has given him hope during his many visits to the town. “We welcome people from everywhere,” he added.
A Merton Council spokesperson said: “Merton Council has strong measures in place to tackle alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in our town centres.
“The council’s Safer Streets Neighbourhood Wardens continue to patrol Mitcham town centre every week, including evenings and weekends, providing reassurance, identifying issues, gathering information and taking enforcement action where appropriate.
“Each report is considered on a case-by-case basis, and where someone’s behaviour is causing problems, we can step in. Using a network of CCTV cameras and working closely with police, the council can respond quickly to anti-social behaviour.
“The council’s approach is to work with people first, offering advice and support with alcohol treatment and recovery services where appropriate, and to take enforcement action when behaviour continues, or impacts people locally.
“We’re investing in Mitcham with better lighting, greening and community and cultural activities, including a programme of events at the town centre’s award-winning bandstand.
“These activities are organised through Mitcham’s dedicated Town Centre Manager to help create a better area for residents and businesses.”
