Street drinkers back in Worthing

Worthing's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), which aims to tackle street drinking while also helping those with alcohol or drug problems, said it had not expected to see so many people out in January.

Tina Favier, community safety manager, said: "We do not have data going back that far, so it's hard to say if this is unusual.

"It's just we would have expected that this would be something that started up again more around April time, when the weather is warmer.

"Most of these people have very complex problems, and usually have a long history of drinking, so there is never going to be a quick or easy solution to this.

"We work with a lot of agencies and outreach workers, who are there to help them and give advice. We know exactly who these people are."

Tina said there are around 35 people who are regular street drinkers in Worthing. She said around half of them are homeless, and the other half are "sofa surfers".

She said they tend to congregate around Steyne Gardens and in shelters on the seafront.

The CDRP, a collaboration between police, the council and other agencies, meets every two weeks to have briefings about the issue.

And in the next few weeks they will have a more in-depth meeting, to plan their strategy for managing the issue of street drinking for the rest of 2009.

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