By all means drink, but don’t be ‘insanitary’ - Soho Square drinking ban

Published: 19 March 2010

• I READ the letter from Jonathan Glanz regarding the ban on drinking in Soho Square (Booze ban’s nine years old, March 5) and I am afraid that I do not understand the logic.

As Cllr Glanz has stated, there are few open spaces in Soho. There are also, to my recollection, no pubs or bars which have gardens, and few which have any outside seating area at all. 

Cllr Glanz seems to be suggesting that, rather than take a bottle of sparkling wine or a jug of Pimm’s to sit in serene calm under the trees of Soho Square – as Stuart Barrow clearly wishes to do (Letters, February 26) – he should instead stand on crowded pavements outside pubs. 

This may be good enough for those who simply visit Soho in the evening, but it is not good enough for those who are lucky enough to live there and, in fact, it causes inconvenience to   many residents and visitors alike.

The councillor further states that the ban was “introduced as a result of problems caused by street drinkers and the anti-social and insanitary behaviour associated with them”.

I have an idea which I feel should be explored… perhaps the council should consider allowing people to drink in Soho Square, but ban them from being anti-social and insanitary! That way, everybody would be happy.

I moved out of Soho several years ago, and I recall at the time that little was done to accommodate the wishes of the residents who have come to live there specifically because it is a vibrant and exciting part of London.  

I see now that nothing has changed. 

I am fortunate enough to live where there are beer gardens, and there are green spaces for people to go and enjoy that bottle of wine in the sunshine with friends.  

It is quite sad that this can no longer happen in Soho, and it is sad that it seems to be as a result of a council who choose to label all drinkers as anti-social.

Victoria Sharkey, N12