Block on cheap cider to curb teen boozers

May 23 2008 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

Block on cheap cider to curb teen boozers

CHEAP cider has been banned by a shop manager in a police crackdown on under-age drinkers.

Sgt Anton Sullivan from Chester police has persuaded the manager at the Co-op shop in Westminster Park to take the drinks off his shelves.

He hopes the Co-op will set an example others will follow as he fights to rid Chester’s streets of drunken nuisance youths.

Manager Russell Shaw, who had sold litre bottles of White Star cider, said: “The row of shops attracts kids including under-age drinkers.

“Taking cider off sale doesn’t take business because genuine customers don’t buy it. It’s cheap rubbish. I think other shops should do it because it helps the community.

“We’ve identified people buying alcohol for youngsters and barred them from the shop. We found one man buying a case of alcohol and distributing it to kids.”

Sgt Sullivan has leading culprits Frosty Jacks, Polaris and White Lightning in his sights and hopes other shops will follow suit in removing them from sale.

He said: “It’s almost a personal thing.

“It might stop kids from hanging around and attract back customers who have been staying away.

“Under-age drinkers buy cider in a large quantity which is cheap and often 8% strength. They are full of sugars and all the stuff that hypes kids up.

“We cannot do anything about the demand. But if the product is available, kids will get their hands on it so we’re trying to limit the supply.

“They might drink beer but I don’t think we’d have as much of a problem. It’s more expensive and less strong.

“I’m looking to see it extended to areas we have a problem with like Blacon, Lache, Upton, Kingsway and Hoole.

“We’ve been so effective with anti-social behaviour in Lache that the problem has been pushed into Westminster Park so we’ve got to make sure other areas go along with this.

“It might not work but I’m willing to try.”

While on the beat in Chester in March, chief constable Peter Fahy criticised stores selling strong, cheap cider saying: “Some of the shops don’t appreciate how that just generates part of the city’s problems.”