COUNCILLORS are hoping that an unusual poster showing a urinating cherub will stop drunken revellers using Chester’s streets as a public toilet.
From next week, drinkers leaving nightclubs, bars and pubs across the city centre will be faced with a poster telling them to go to the loo or face a £500 fine if they ‘pee in public’.
The poster, produced by Cheshire West and Chester Council and backed by Chester Pubwatch, comes after residents living along the city’s historic Rows demanded action after an increase in booze-fuelled violence and ‘disgusting behaviour’ left them cleaning up urine and vomit on a daily basis.
But residents and traders in the city centre say the poster, which shows a cherub statue urinating in a lavatory and warns revellers about the consequences of ‘peeing in public’, will not stop drunken behaviour and that more needs to be done to clean up Chester’s streets once and for all.
Owners of the Cartoon Gallery, who also live on Watergate Row, have been campaigning for a halt to the influx of bars and extended opening hours in the city.
They feel the posters are not enough and would have little impact unless they were backed up by greater policing, CCTV and prosecutions for anti-social behaviour.
“Anything that could help is obviously better than nothing, but what we really need is more cameras on the rows and for them to be lit up at night,” said Albert Rusling.
“The lighting here is to accent the architecture not really to light up the Rows.
“The only place it is really lit is near Browns of Chester – everywhere else where it is dark people will go up and urinate.
“This is not the solution. First of all you have got to catch them and if there are not enough police or cameras that is not going to happen. Nothing has changed and a poster, on its own, is not enough.”
But CWaC Cllr Lynn Riley, executive member for community and environment, said the poster would put out a blunt message that the council would not tolerate anti-social behaviour.
“There is no excuse for anyone who chooses to use the street as a lavatory,” she said.
“This eye-catching poster campaign is intentionally blunt to communicate the message that we are not prepared to tolerate this disgusting behaviour.
“In partnership with the police, we have a strong track record in prosecuting these offences. CCTV footage plays a vital role in many cases.
“We want to see everyone enjoying visiting Chester but when the actions of a few spoil it for the rest, we will act.”
