A bitterly honest account of London Road’s “prolific and prevalent” battle with alcoholism and street drinkers has been penned by a policeman. 

James Conway wrote to Brighton and Hove City Council to object to a shop on the road selling alcohol into the early hours of the morning.

Londis licence holder Birol Cihat Kaciran wants to extend the shop’s opening hours from 11.30 until 1am in the week and until 2am on week- ends.

His request has sparked numerous objections, including from PC Conway who says local residents have a right to live in peace.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team member said: “There is absolutely no shortage of venues to buy this alcohol 24 hours a day.

“Allowing further premises to sell these drinks past these times will not only help to fuel this problem, it will increase the problem and will have a detrimental effect to anti- social behaviour in this area.

“I believe, with my eight years of policing on the streets of Brighton and Hove, allowing later licences and making alcohol more readily available, in this particular hotspot road, will increase crime, anti-social behaviour and have a detrimental effect on the lives of the local community.”

Outlining the problems of London Road, he said there are many issues, “but the most prolific and prevalent to this area is alcoholism and street drinking”.

He said that the busy shopping street was surrounded by pharmacies, close to drug rehabilitation centres, outreach centres and needle exchanges, as well as “radical protest movement headquarters, a large squatting community, council housing offices and budget supermarkets”.

He added that it is a central location for numerous homeless shelters, bail hostels and cheap alcohol and high-strength alcohol off licences.

He said: “Because of these factors it is a main meeting point for street drinkers, drug users and dealers and those in chaotic lifestyles due to their drug and alcohol dependencies.”

The London Road Local Action Team is also objecting to the application.

Chairman Philip Wells said: “We have fought a long battle to combat the problems raised by the availability of alcohol in the London Road area. In a city the size of Brighton we’re bound to have people with troubled lives and alcohol as a problem. 

“We need to manage that and part of it is to not encourage the prolifer- ation of more alcohol availability, particularly in the middle of the night.”

The licensing application will be considered at a panel on Friday, November 9.