West End Extra - Letters: Drugs Trade

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 3 October 2008

Drugs trade operates like any other market

• YOUR headline “Cops declare war on drugs” (September 26) is the sort which pops up periodically.
In fact the premise you refer to in Peter Street has been running for some time, as has the Safer Neighbourhoods Team whose valiant efforts and positive results we all support. However, history teaches us that trying to deal with the supply side of the drugs trade can only have limited success when the demand continues unabated. It seems that the proliferation of both hostels and late night “entertainment” venues and Soho’s general reputation means that there is a continuous demand.
The drugs trade operates in the same way as any other market – demand and supply.
Amusement gave way to bemusement on reading David Gleeson’s Forum piece.
He refers to a “hidden drug market right under our unsuspecting noses”, when in fact it’s mostly right out in the open for all to see in this part of Soho and has been for years.
When I moved to Dean Street in 1993 the main leisure and late-night uses were on the main through roads yet Soho was declared a “stress area” as early as 1993 due to ambient noise levels at that time.
Since then as we all know the number of late-night venues of all sorts has been allowed to sky-rocket within a very small area.
DAVID BIEDA
Dean Street, W1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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