Shops pledge to stop selling super-strength booze

The council wants shops to stop selling cider, beer or lager above 6.5% strength

Shops have pledged to remove cheap, strong booze from their shelves in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour and street drinking.

As part of its Reducing the Strength initiative, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is asking licence holders to stop selling beer, lager and cider above 6.5% alcohol strength.

The move comes after a Stockton shop lost its licence due to selling cider to street drinkers in the early morning.

Nine shops have signed up to the initiative so far, and the council is hoping more will follow.

Reducing the Strength is a Local Government Association (LGA) scheme, involving 80 local authorities.

Working in partnership with Cleveland Police the council has signed up premises including Addison Newsagents, Pickwicks (formerly D&S News), Iceland, B&M Stores, Heron Foods, Savers, Yarm Lane Convenience Store and Quick News.

Insp Andy Vickers, from Stockton's neighbourhood policing team, said: "By preventing access to high strength alcohol we hope to further reduce crime that I know is a huge concern to members of the public.

"We want to make the town centre an even safer and more enjoyable place to live, work and visit."

Licensing officers with shop staff and councillor Norma Stephenson, centre, who are leading the campaign

Dhillon Food & Wine, known as Rowntrees, on Dovecot Street in Stockton had its licence revoked after it was found to be a "significant contributor" to anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

But owner Muhammed Adnan Rabani, who has run the shop since April, said the drinkers' presence at the shop was not his fault, claiming a charity and food bank next door attracted the clientele.

Councillor Norma Stephenson, cabinet member for access, communities and community services, said the scheme was not just reliant on shops signing up, but was also working in line with Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO).

Stephenson said: "We want to create safer and welcoming public spaces for our residents and visitors to Stockton."

She said the scheme would also help those dependent on alcohol by encouraging them to engage with support services.