Vagrants may get own pub

A pub for alcoholic vagrants is being considered by Westminster council as a way to clear the streets of homeless street drinkers.

A report for the council claims the bar, which would serve cheap strong lager to those identified as street drinkers, has cautious backing from police and homeless agencies, some of whom believe it would keep them in a contained area.

The proposal came in a report for the council by social research company Vision 21, which interviewed 170 homeless people. Oswin Baker, the report's author, said: "It might sound a bit Dickensian but it's better than having people legless on the streets all day."

It suggests that the council converts an existing pub for the purpose.

The council has already decided to impose a zerotolerance zone on drinking in the area surrounding Victoria station but is lukewarm about having such a pub.

A leading member of its social services said: "We are considering a no-drinking zone but we shall wait to see how that works out before considering other proposals."

Other measures in the new homeless strategy include more action with police on aggressive begging.