A BUSY road has been dubbed Manchester's `alcohol alley'.
There are 22 licensed premises on Moston Lane, in north Manchester. This includes six off-licences - five of which are within 400 yards of each other.
Council bosses have now refused an application for a seventh after 600 residents signed a petition objecting to plans by a newsagent to sell alcohol.
Manchester's licensing sub-committee refused the application from Moston News amid concern from police and environmental health bosses that another drink store in Moston would add to crime and disorder in the area.
The 1.4 mile road has now been dubbed the city's `alcohol frontline' by Manchester councillor Pat Karney, who has vowed not to allow the streets to become `awash with booze'.
Coun Karney said: "Manchester council needs to crack down on shops turning themselves into off-licences. It will create an explosion of alcohol problems in the area which is now saturated with cheap booze. In my opinion there is a direct connection between the growth of these off-licences and hospital alcohol admissions in the area.
"There is quite simply no benefit to it. It will turn Moston Lane into alcohol alley and it will all end up at the doors of the NHS and the courts."
Of the six off-licences on the road, the two biggest - the Co-op and California Wines - are within sight of each other on opposite sides of the road and less than 100 yards apart. Moston News is only a few doors down from California Wines. Other nearby off-licences include Euro News, H&H Wines and Spirits, Royal Wines and Premier Off-licence.
Stephen Holt, chair of the local Trinity and District Residents' Association, was among those who opposed the newsagent's failed application to sell alcohol between 8am and 10pm, seven days a week.
He said: "We share the views of the council - there are too many applications for liquor licences in this small area. Store owners competing on price encourages crime and disorder, particularly among young people and no more so than in the run-up to Christmas. The innocent victims are the fraternity of residents living in this area."
Bob Hill, of residents' group the Federations of Lightbowne and Moston Associations, added that alcohol was too easy to obtain in the area and pubs had already had to close because of a shift from sociable drinking to boozing in the streets. Three pubs have closed in the area recently.
The M.E.N. revealed earlier this week how Manchester topped a table of areas in Britain most affected by alcohol, with drink set to kill 38,000 in the region over the next decade.
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'Alcohol alley' - street with 22 places to buy booze
October 23, 2009
Moston Lane, which has 22 licensed premises
Showing comments 1 to 21 and replies | View All
Mike S, Manchester (23/10/2009 at 12:28)
Seemingly Ignored, Heald Green (23/10/2009 at 12:38)
Secondly, and equally as ironic, is that Moston Lane is now largely populated by businesses run by Asian, generally I would assume, of an islamic background. Isn't it hypocritical of them to flog booze?
D c (23/10/2009 at 12:43)
Daniel Pollard (23/10/2009 at 12:49)
nyb, ex manc (23/10/2009 at 13:00)
Pink Elephant Place.
Sherbet Street.
Gassed Grove.
Pie Eyed Place.
Just a sad sad reflection on alcohol use, abuse, misuse in the UK these days, but of course we must not dare to use price control to help the situation, because apparently it infringes the civil liberties of so called "responsible" law abiding boozers.
Andanotherthing, Mcr (23/10/2009 at 13:25)
Killjoy Karney again. Moston lane area is your own work cllr as some one else has pointed out. I'd drink more if I had to live there.
Mark,Radcliffe. (23/10/2009 at 13:26)
minnie royle (23/10/2009 at 13:52)
Mark, South Manchester (23/10/2009 at 15:26)
Oh a 3 bottles for £9 booze offer!
Thanks MEN.
Torchy, Rochdale (23/10/2009 at 16:08)
Torchy, Rochdale (23/10/2009 at 16:10)
Joe Pub, Manchester (23/10/2009 at 16:34)
The Man, Sat on a chair (23/10/2009 at 17:01)
Joe Pub, Manchester (23/10/2009 at 19:24)
What has happened here as there has been complaints, so the council don't want to be involved or want any responsibility for there help, another cover up.
Is It Me? (23/10/2009 at 21:17)
Local lad, outsidethebox (23/10/2009 at 21:42)
ergo (23/10/2009 at 22:50)
We used to go to Belle Vue dancing, the bar was that crowded we used to have a kitty get two crates and put them at the end of the table.
I went in the army.NS 1953 came out worked shifts. One night I had to go down to this plant and wake them up and tell them no more sleeping.The chargehand worked part time at Belle Vue.He said it was that violent they were employing wrestlers as bouncers.So in 5 years or so it changed,and it has never stopped changing.
The scene changed, the council visited the old clubs in 1960 which had grown from 4 in 1952 to 360 and decided most of them should be closed. After a battle lasting 10 years which was blamed on the chief constable although of course it was not.The police liked the old clubs,they knew where to find the crooks.Most were closed. Then we got a new set of clubs even worse.They were closed the Hacienda was even rebuilt.Then we descended into the present state.
I do not think it is alcohol. I cut my drinking years ago,but even so there was a Camra festival that ran out of beer at 5pm Saturday.They were not all falling down and fighting.There are pubs in the city centre full of hardened drinkers.They have no trouble.
I am not talking about health problems.If someone drank 10/20 pints water it would do them no good.That much water could kill you, so people are crazy drinking too much.
It is the behaviour problems, and you recently stated that 66% of people in city centre clubs are taking drugs. It is that that is causing the trouble.Plus this cheap booze sold to kids by off licences.I have seen them with large bottles of mineral probably full of vodka. Stick to beer, at least you can tell when you have had enough. You have got to be very stupid to become alcoholic drinking beer,although my mate knew a girl who's father worked at the papers he died of alcoholism and they never knew he drank.He only drank at work, but I think you have got to be very dedicated, I think most alcoholics drink spirits. I mean a bottle of whisky versus what? 20 pints it is no contest.
That is what makes it so baffling. You would not want to do it,not more than once anyway.
Thomas Sild (23/10/2009 at 23:31)
PW, Manchester (24/10/2009 at 07:47)
Joe Pub, Manchester (24/10/2009 at 14:00)
Sorry to say we don't want any of this, a Gay(oxymoron) district!
Lord Ryan the Great, Chadderton (25/10/2009 at 03:32)