Strong drinks removed from shops

Some brands of stronger lager and cider have been removed from sale

Strong drinks such as super-strength lager and cider will no longer be sold in areas troubled by street drinkers in parts of central London.

More than 25 supermarkets, convenience stores and off licences are working with Westminster City Council.

The scheme aims to reduce levels of drug dealing, begging and urinating in the borough's streets.

The shops agreed to stop stocking drinks such as Carlsberg Special Brew, Tennants Extra and Diamond White.

Westminster is not alone in having to deal with the effects of the indiscrimate sale of alcohol, which blights towns and cities around the country Councillor Audrey Lewis

Tesco, Waitrose, Londis and Budgens, as well as off-licences including Threshers, have joined the voluntary scheme in Marylebone High Street, Victoria and Pimlico.

Councillor Audrey Lewis, cabinet member for community protection and licensing, said: "Cheap, super-strength alcohol is aimed at alcoholics, drug users and some of the most vulnerable and needy members of society.

"Westminster is not alone in having to deal with the effects of the indiscrimate sale of alcohol, which blights towns and cities around the country."

Sir Simon Milton, leader of Westminster City Council, said: "The government needs to get a proper handle on this and come up with a robust national policy to deal what is a rapidly growing problem.

"It is also high time for the drinks industry to accept its own moral obligations."

The council surveyed people in nearby Paddington Gardens before and after the start of the Marylebone scheme and found the number of people who said street drinkers were a problem dropped by 35%.