Following complaints from local shopkeepers, newbury.net has discovered that drunks and wino’s are flouting the law and openly consuming alcohol on the streets of Newbury.

The offenders are congregating in St Nicolas churchyard where they occupy the seats surrounding the church. They have even been spotted on the Francis Berry seat in front of the Town Hall (just a stones throw from the CCTV control room), and in Victoria Park.

There is a byelaw which prevents the consumption of alcohol in public in Newbury, although all of the signs advising of this offence appear to have been removed.

A local shopkeeper who did not want to be named said “These people are openly flouting the law, because there are no longer police patrols in the town centre. Even the community support officers have disappeared”.