Evening Press reporter RICHARD EDWARDS lifts the lid on the sub-culture that is street drinking in York

"WE aren't beggars, we aren't drug users. We are street drinkers, that's what we do, but we never ask for money and are not aggressive," said Phil, a former mobile phone salesman who came to York from Newcastle with his partner, Irene.

Phil is a member of York's street drinking community - whose members are proud to say they do not beg and never touch drugs.

Most spend their nights in one of York's homeless hostels and support their drinking with state benefits.

They say spending 12 hours a day on the street, between leaving hostels in the morning and returning in the evening, leaves them with little alternative but to hit the bottle.

Phil continued: "People look down on you, but how many of them drink in their homes? We haven't got homes to drink in. Plenty of them drink in parks in the summer as well, so why can't we? We are proud of the parks we drink in and we look after them."

Brian Parker, 57, was once a successful local businessman.

But his business fell apart after his divorce, and Brian ended up on the streets in 1999.

He said: "It's not good when people look down their noses at you. They don't know who we are. I put 30 years of hard work and taxes into this city.

"It's so hard to fill your days. The last three hours are the worst, you're cold, sometimes soaking wet. I would like to stop, but I don't think that can happen until I get a permanent home of my own."

Lee Graveson, 26, lost his Newcastle home and welding job after a relationship fell apart. He now drinks about ten litres of strong cider a day.

He said: "I am alcohol-dependent and I would like to stop. But how my life is now, that is much easier said than done."

Gabrielle Seager, York drugs action team co-ordinator, said treatment was available for alcohol dependants, but it suffered from a lack of funding.

Funding has always been low - though it has not actually declined - because there has never been a national strategy to tackle alcoholism, she said.

She said: "There is no point (at which) someone becomes untreatable. Local treatment would start at York Alcohol Advisory Service, where staff would devise a treatment plan specific to the individual person.

"Homeless people who misuse alcohol may refer themselves, like anyone else, or can be referred by anyone who works with homeless charities.

"The Government has recognised that dealing with alcohol is a priority, and a national strategy is expected to be announced next year."

Updated: 10:17 Friday, November 01, 2002