AN ALCOHOL-FREE zone will come into force this summer to rid Penge of street drinkers and cut down on anti-social behaviour.

Bromley Council is expected to rubber-stamp proposals for the borough's first no-booze zone, which will cover an area in, and around, Penge High Street.

Shopkeepers, customers and residents have complained of aggressive behaviour, vandalism and shoplifting. They are clearly in favour of the scheme.

Labour councillor Peter Fookes, who represents the Penge ward, said: "The zone may be a little bit draconian but we do need to deal with the street drinking problem.

"If necessary, we will set up zones in other parts of the borough."

Steve Battershill, 36, co-owner of Frameworks, in Penge High Street, said: "There's nothing worse than seeing these people drinking themselves into oblivion every day.

"At one point last summer, we were very close to closing because some of the drunks became aggressive, just because I flipped over someone peeing up our door."

San Deep, 26, who owns Spa, in Penge High Street, has increased the price of strong beers to deter drunks from entering his shop.

"A can of Tennants Super now costs £1.50, so drunks sponsored by social security are not coming into our store any more," he said.

"The scheme will move the problem to somewhere else but as long as it's not on our doorstep, it's okay."

Following new legislation in September last year, councils can designate areas suffering from alcohol-related nuisance as public places.

They then have the right to ban street drinking from these places.

The initiative will give Bromley Police powers to force street drinkers in the alcohol free zone to surrender their booze or face arrest.

Inspector Paul Etheridge, the borough's northern sector inspector, said: "We can ask people who are drinking from open containers to stop drinking.

"If they don't, they can be arrested. We are not keen to persecute people with alcohol problems.

"These are sick people, not criminals. What we are saying is, don't drink on the high street."

Police will also give street drinkers small cards containing the phone numbers of health and counselling agencies.

Paul le Prevost, director of Bromley Alcohol Services, said: "If the zone cuts down on disorder in Penge, then I'm happy to play a part."