General Discussion

Now that the summer season is over it's good to see that the bandstand is finally being used. Albeit that some have made the bandstand home.  For most of the day their belongings are there some of which hangs on a nail, it's always good to have somewhere to hang your coat after a hard day.  If they are truly homeless where do they go during the day, some go to church and it's not to pray. It's for the free warm drink and something to eat. Or are they on the beach picking up plastic huh, not likely. Perhaps they are helping the elderly with their grocery shopping. So where do they go? So at one end of the lawn we have the homeless and at the other end the more prosperious area with the druggies and alkies. They do have their own phones and bikes and with their 5 a day shoplifted from the co-op they are set for that day a least. Then after all that booze they hit Boots for their vitamins and suppliments, maybe some shaving foam and blades. Word has gone out that Dawlish is a soft touch so please come. So if you notice more than the usual regulars this what's happening. Dawlish is a free for all town. Don't worry about the cops they can't do anything even if they are around. It was once stated by a defendant in court that it was easier to get Drugs in Dawlish than in London. But Dawlish is not alone it's the same all over this country.

It's so easy to judge people you know nothing about so I will just say this... But for the grace of God go I

I also walked through The Lawn thismorning and saw some homeless people on the bandstand and saw a police and two PCSO's pass by them, they couldn't do anything because they weren't causing any trouble.

Maybe it would help if the homeless had somewhere to go. Not all homeless people are druggies or alcoholics some have been through a time in their life that most of us have been lucky enough not to have experienced so please don't judge.

How can you tell if a homeless person is a druggie or a alchoholic or how can you tell if a person is homeless?

Are the town councillors aware, would they be bothered to do anything about it? Oh I forgot we have those powerful prohibition notices all over The Lawn to stop this type of behaviour. Even then if the police get involved they can just tell those involved to 'jog on' with no further action.

First, I never stated that those that appear homeless are druggies or alcoholics. And I would think that if they are in the bandstand all day and night one can safely assume they are homeless.  Yes, I agree that more should be done for those that are homeless. Suggest you read the post again.

There has been a female begging outside the Post Office recently when i was asked for money i mentioned a job may be a good idea her reply i have tried that my love but work is not my thing and in her hand a new iphone. So my question is how can she afford a iphone and were did the money come from or is someone missing a iphone now that may seem harsh to some but i have worked all my life i am certainly not badly off but i cant afford a new iphone.

What you are seeing is a lack of help for homeless people. To be honest, if I was on the streets I might turn to something to make it more bearable. Don't judge people going through hard times. Yes, some refuse help and are not interested in getting off the streets but that is a small minority.

The police only "move them on". To where? How does that help? Push them to another area so it is someone else's problem?

When someone writes something, it is unclear who they are refering too. Perhaps Brooklyn Bridge can be more open.

@S i totally agree with you

Nobody chooses to be a "druggy" or "Alchey", nobody chooses to be homeless. Everyone however is different and some lose their way due to circumstance or illness. Some are so damaged that they're not ready to be helped yet but we shouldn't give up on them. We are all only about 4 circumstances/ decisions from being stuck in the same shit hole.

Unfortunately there are  people that only see things from thier perspective and judge others with scorn and derision. I so hoped that when I was 16 this horrible attitude would change but here I am 34 years later and to coin a phrase... same shit, different day, so depressing :(

Can't be any more open than posted unless one lives under a rock. But, will clarify for you. In the bandstand, we have what appears to be homeless people and down at the other end, we have the druggies and alcoholics. Other than that what part do you not understand? Also, the town has a major problem with shoplifting, which affects all of us with higher prices.

I'm commenting on the isuue of homelessness, drug (alcohol) addiction and mental health not the original post though I do find the labels "druggies" and "alkies" rather disingerous just as I would other terms that belittle the suffering of others.

That is why Scapegoat I asked the question in the first place. People can take prescibed drugs but that does not make them a druggie. People can become intoxicated, but that does not make them alchoholics. And the same for the homeless. sleeping rough for a few nights and hanging your coat on a conveniently placed nail on the wall does not make one homeless.Take a trip to St Petrocks, Exeter, There are people in there purporting to be what they are not. There are far too many assuptions made here. The only way to tell what someone is, is to have a tattoo on the forhead. What does a gay person look like, what does a transgender person look like? Or at the other end of the scale, What does a Judge look like?

Walking along The Strand, around 19:00hrs, last night and a woman was begging in the doorway of one of the shops. What was disconcerting was one of the veteran drunks was hiding behind a car, slightly back and opposite her. I did not notice him skulking there until we had walkied past him towards her.

Once upon a time laws were enforced by constabularies and a policeman had a certain amount of discretion in performing his duties, in relation to non arrestable offence. Nowadays there are so few police(persons)  available to do patrols. Whilst a vast number of senior officers sit around in plush offices.

Things will certainly not get better any time soon. The more the word goes out that Dawlish is a soft touch the more unwanted types will appear.

The slashing of the police van tyre is, more than likely, the tip of an inevitable criminal avalanche.