A TARPORLEY resident who compared the village to the seaside town of Blackpool is considering selling up because of late-night drunken behaviour.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, called The Chronicle after we reported plans to employ a doorman at High Street’s Piste wine bar.

The proposals sparked an outcry from residents, claiming the action was not needed and could damage the village’s reputation.

But the resident said she would welcome the presence of doormen if it would curb disorderly behaviour.

“Tarporley has been getting worse since Christmas,” she said. “The other weekend it was like Blackpool here. People are getting blind drunk in the places with late licenses, playing music in cars, and urinating on front doors.

“On Christmas Eve there was fighting. Some of my elderly neighbours were terrified. It’s getting to the point where I’m seriously thinking of moving away.”

Chronicle reader Anthony Carroll agrees, feeling the village that ‘holds a special place in his heart’ could soon earn itself a bad reputation.

Anthony, 56, lives in Liverpool but has been visiting Tarporley since he was 12.

“I read the Chronicle every week to keep up with Tarporley because it holds so many fond memories for me,” he said.

“There is still a lovely ambience but I think the police need to look into licensing differently because staying open too late attracts all sorts of people coming in from the surrounding areas.

“Living in Liverpool, I have experience of inner city problems and anti social behaviour – from what I have seen lately with Tarporley, the same is starting to creep in. I feel frustrated because I love the place and drunken people are spoiling it.”

But clerk of Tarporley Parish Council John McDonald said the situation is not as bleak as is made out.

He said: “The big problem is the failure to report incidents to police,”

“How can night-time patrols be put on in the bars if nobody is reporting what’s been happening?

“More active reporting of incidents would help PC Ged Gigg get the support he needs to sort out the few troublemakers we have.”

After a series of incidents, including damage to cars over the New Year period, the parish council produced a flyer urging the community to report any crime in the village.

In the last fortnight, a doorman has been employed at the Piste wine bar and owner James Hughes says the change has so far been a positive one:

He said: “People have got used to him, he is there to say hello and act as a host really. We’re pleased with how it’s all going.

“It baffles me that all we’re trying to do is something positive and look out for the residents, and we’re getting such a backlash.”