Plans for an outdoor drinking ban in Croydon's town centre streets were dealt a devastating blow when Croydon's top cop revealed he was "totally opposed" to the idea.

Proposals for "zero tolerance" in certain roads were discussed at the Croydon Community Police Consultative Committee meeting last week, with many community leaders expressing an interest.

But Croydon's Chief Supt Stephen Thomas said: "It gives the impression of completely intolerant policing.

"If my officers are stopping people in the streets and the council are still giving out drinks licences then we aren't achieving anything in the long term.

"We should be looking to long-term problem solving."

But the idea was backed by Croydon Councillor Graham Speed. He said: "Alcohol is by far the most serious and damaging drug in terms of law and order in the borough.

"It is behind 48 per cent of Croydon's violent crime and that's an astonishingly high figure. So I think we should pursue this idea of zero tolerance."

Croydon Central MP Geraint Davies, who has been pushing for a ban on carrying bottles and glasses in the town centre for some months, told the Guardian: "I want to stop rowdy and intimidating activity in the town centre.

"Croydon is very tough on carrying knives unlike some boroughs in London.

"If you're caught with a knife you're automatically charged, not just cautioned. I'd like to see the same for bottles and glasses in certain streets in the centre of Croydon."

Zero tolerance zones already exist in parts of Coventry, Peterborough and Bath. Lambeth Council is currently looking at introducing a zone in Brixton in a bid to cut out harassment by drunken beggars.

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