Reducing the strength in Southend-on-Sea

January 28, 2015 by Mike

Reducing the strength in Southend-on-Sea

Tuesday 27th January 2015

Shops across Southend are being asked to sign up to support a new scheme to reduce alcohol-related harm in the Borough.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Essex Police are asking retailers who sell alcohol to voluntarily stop stocking cheap, high strength beers and ciders to reduce the availability of drinks that cause a range of health harms, anti-social behaviour, and crime.

The scheme is one of many voluntary schemes across the country; two shops have already signed up to the scheme and have stopped stocking cheap beer, lager and cider above 6% alcohol by volume (ABV). Businesses that sign up will be able to display a ‘Reducing the Strength” window sticker. The scheme forms part of the Southend-on-Sea Public Health Responsibility Deal, in which Southend organisations pledge to take action to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff and/or their customers.

Cllr Ian Gilbert, Executive Councillor for Community Development, says: "Alcohol plays a big part in ill-health, anti-social behaviour and crime in Southend. We are working with the other agencies to reduce the availability of cheap, strong beers and ciders that fuel some of these problems and can cause immense harm to vulnerable people. Alcohol-related disorder increases fear of crime and that creates an unpleasant environment for everyone.”

Mr Singh, Manager of Harpans Express in Queens Road - who have already removed cheap, high strength beers from their shelves says: “Since we voluntarily removed high strength alcohol from our shelves we haven’t seen a dip in trade, however we have seen a reduction in alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour in the area of our premises which has benefited both staff and customers alike.”

This initiative is one of a range of measures being delivered in Southend-on-Sea to reduce alcohol harm as part of Southend-on-Sea’s commitments as a Local Alcohol Action Area.

Photo opportunity:

A photo opportunity is taking place on Thursday 29th January at HARPANS, 7 Queens Road, SS1 1LT where the owner and staff of the store will be with Cllr Ian Gilbert and staff from the council’s public health and regulatory services teams.