[Politics] Brighton's homeless and that Victor Meldrew feeling

[Worthing exile]

Now I have become quite use to seeing the campsite at the bottom of West Street expand from a mess to one tent then to two but still think that it looks horrible on the main tourist route down from the station. I was therefore surprised to see it all gone this morning and thought at last !!!!

However while out lunchtime today I saw a man fast asleep on the pavement outside the Old Ship with all his belongings around him. No shoes on and socks held together by holes. Sleeping not far away from people eating. What a bloody great advert for the City.

Then reading the Argus later I read about another homeless man who pitched his tent illegally on the beach and because the Council didn't follow the correct protocol when removing it, he received £1,500 compo.

How can these people just sleep where they like and be able to leave their crap on pavements during the day?

I have no problem with them at night if they sleep in doorways etc rather than use Hostels, and I know all the 'there for the grace of god' argument but they should be made to take their stuff with them in the morning or know it will be thrown away.

Rant over.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Yeah I wish they'd just **** off to Worthing.

 

[Worthing exile]

Yeah I wish they'd just **** off to Worthing.

I am a Brighton lad born and bred just temporarily exiled in Worthing. I still work here and care what is happening to my home town.

 

[BBassic]

It really is just the worst having to be confronted with people having a tough time whilst out buying readily available food with money you earned isn't it?

 

[Insel affe]

It does seem to be getting worse recently, there are little camps/improvised covers making tents around the back of the Prince Regent, all along North Street there are quilt covers and shit all over the streets., I have seen drunks/druggies fighting, and swearing early in the morning all over town, it is not pretty is it.
Something needs to be done, don't ask me what, but it is an eyesore and not a very good advert for the city, and actually pisses me off that there seems no end.

 

[Stat Brother]

Careful now, you'll fall foul of the 'Brighton is the greatest city EVER' brigade.

 

[spring hall convert]

Homelessness in England has increased by 54% since 2010.

I wish I could think of something of political significance that happened around that time.

 

[Insel affe]

It really is just the worst having to be confronted with people having a tough time whilst out buying readily available food with money you earned isn't it?

Very simple quote to make, designed to make you look superior, but it is not all about that is it. It is about the anti social behaviour that goes with it and something does need to be done, by who I don't care it simply does on many levels social care, housing the whole nine yards.

I am more concerned at the moment about safety not for me, only the other week I took my daughter to Prince Regent for swimming lessons (yes I know how middle class of me) and as we got out of the car (yes I know how middle class yet again) two homeless drunks were fighting a man and a woman, not only did my daughter witness violence towards a woman we dodged a flying bottle at 9:30am.....

Yes my daughter is aware of the homeless situation in the city it is everywhere, I make a point of buying dog treats and sandwich for the homeless man outside the coop on Lewes Road and getting my daughter to give it the them, she loves the fact the dog gets so excited about the treats, so no matter what you come back with I know, I have nothing to be ashamed about or hide from.

It is not a bad thing to be concerned about the state of the city, the OP did not ask for all homeless people to be rounded up and shot or anything.

 

[Eeyore]

Now I have become quite use to seeing the campsite at the bottom of West Street expand from a mess to one tent then to two but still think that it looks horrible on the main tourist route down from the station. I was therefore surprised to see it all gone this morning and thought at last !!!!

However while out lunchtime today I saw a man fast asleep on the pavement outside the Old Ship with all his belongings around him. No shoes on and socks held together by holes. Sleeping not far away from people eating. What a bloody great advert for the City.

Then reading the Argus later I read about another homeless man who pitched his tent illegally on the beach and because the Council didn't follow the correct protocol when removing it, he received £1,500 compo.

How can these people just sleep where they like and be able to leave their crap on pavements during the day?

I have no problem with them at night if they sleep in doorways etc rather than use Hostels, and I know all the 'there for the grace of god' argument but they should be made to take their stuff with them in the morning or know it will be thrown away.

Rant over.

Whatever annoyances it causes I'm pretty sure most folk would prefer the life they have when compared.

Having done work for more than one homeless organisation I can tell you that some of the background stories have a shocking fall from stability attached to them.

When you walk past them it's better to think of how, indeed, by the grace of God you didn't end up there. They become less irritating then.

As for a good advertisement, neither were the street kids in Rio before the last World Cup, let's not go there. The phrase 'Not a good advertisement' is one that makes me shiver. What people see is life in all its different, and sometimes unpalatable, forms.

 

[Megazone]

The real problem is people living in life threatening conditions plagued by the traumas of their youth.

 

[BBassic]

Very simple quote to make, designed to make you look superior, but it is not all about that is it. It is about the anti social behaviour that goes with it and something does need to be done, by who I don't care it simply does on many levels social care, housing the whole nine yards.

I am more concerned at the moment about safety not for me, only the other week I took my daughter to Prince Regent for swimming lessons (yes I know how middle class of me) and as we got out of the car (yes I know how middle class yet again) two homeless drunks were fighting a man and a woman, not only did my daughter witness violence towards a woman we dodged a flying bottle at 9:30am.....

It is not a bad thing to be concerned about the state of the city, the OP did not ask for all homeless people to be rounded up and shot or anything.

Those are all fair points to make.

My post wasn't designed to make me feel superior though. It was designed to be sarcastic and a maybe a tiny bit obnoxious.

 

[Sheebo]

Maybe this is the job for.. I don’t know... local COUNCILLORS or something

 

[spring hall convert]

Maybe this is the job for.. I don’t know... local COUNCILLORS or something

And national Government seeing how this isn't a problem specific to Brighton and that homlessness in England has increased by 54% since 2010.

We have a Government that pursues policies that are actively driving people onto the streets. Fine, if that's what we want, but to pretend otherwise is insane.

Here's the numbers if anyone can actually be arsed rather than pretend they have no idea what is going on - https://assets.publishing.service.g...Statistical_Release_January_to_March_2016.pdf

 

[MattBackHome]

Maybe this is the job for.. I don’t know... local COUNCILLORS or something

Top level SNARK there.

 

[Stat Brother]

Maybe this is the job for.. I don’t know... local COUNCILLORS or something

That made me laugh.
Poor Bozza other than the obvious red flag political threads, we've been good boys and girls for ages.
Now all thanks to 1 poster we've plunged him and his crew back to the good old days, of them not knowing what to block next.

 

[Insel affe]

Those are all fair points to make.

My post wasn't designed to make me feel superior though. It was designed to be sarcastic and a maybe a tiny bit obnoxious.

Fair point, well made.

Just what can the city do though, we attract more homeless people here because of the climate I understand that, and as pointed out there but for the grace of god, even the man and lady who were fighting must have horrible stories to tell, which I even pointed out to my daughter who asked why that man through the bottle at her and pushed her to the ground, my explanation was the best I could come up with at the time was, he does not know what he is doing his eyes are glazed over and probably on medicines that dont make him think right, having said that it is never acceptable to push a woman. Later she asked if I had phoned the police, to which I lied and said yes they were looking into it.

Ahhh what ya gonna do, the government need to step up to the plate on so many levels.

 

[astralavi]

As the new brexit secretary the right honourable Raab has advocated - hosing these people down - using hose pipes has proved effective in other places. But is this an option when water conservation is so important this summer?

 

[BBassic]

Fair point, well made.

Just what can the city do though, we attract more homeless people here because of the climate I understand that, and as pointed out there but for the grace of god, even the man and lady who were fighting must have horrible stories to tell, which I even pointed out to my daughter who asked why that man through the bottle at her and pushed her to the ground, my explanation was the best I could come up with at the time was, he does not know what he is doing his eyes are glazed over and probably on medicines that dont make him think right, having said that it is never acceptable to push a woman. Later she asked if I had phoned the police, to which I lied and said yes they were looking into it.

Ahhh what ya gonna do, the government need to step up to the plate on so many levels.

The anti social behaviour is definitely a problem; I'm sorry your daughter had to experience that. I remember sitting in the Level a few years back and a nasty brawl kicked off between a couple of homeless guys for one reason or another and that distressed me as a thirty year old bloke. Horrible to witness.

I find the general complaints about "oh no their tent is making the street look a bit untidy" to be something I'm less able to sit back and listen to.

Trouble is, as I see it, is that it's a problem that gets kicked down the road. Residents kick it to councillors, councillors kick it to MPs, MPs kick it to the Government and the Government kick it to the previous Government.

 

[Icy Gull]

Maybe this is the job for.. I don’t know... local COUNCILLORS or something

Bozza WILL NOT be pleased with you

 

[spring hall convert]

The anti social behaviour is definitely a problem; I'm sorry your daughter had to experience that. I remember sitting in the Level a few years back and a nasty brawl kicked off between a couple of homeless guys for one reason or another and that distressed me as a thirty year old bloke. Horrible to witness.

I find the general complaints about "oh no their tent is making the street look a bit untidy" to be something I'm less able to sit back and listen to.

Trouble is, as I see it, is that it's a problem that gets kicked down the road. Residents kick it to councillors, councillors kick it to MPs, MPs kick it to the Government and the Government kick it to the previous Government.

Homelessness was the lowest since records began in this country on 31 December 2010.