Public health officials have raised concerns over JD Wetherspoon’s plans to reopen The Old Post Office pub in Chatham.

Wetherspoon’s application for a licence will be considered by a Medway Council licensing hearing panel next Friday.

But a report set to go before the panel has raised concerns over the number of street drinkers in the area – which it calls “one of the most deprived areas in Medway”.

The report is written by the council’s director of public health, Dr Alison Barnett, who says there are already 83 premises licensed to sell alcohol in a 1,000m radius of the pub, in Railway Street, which itself is in an Alcohol Control Zone. The reports adds that a high-percentage of crimes in the area are alcohol-related.

“There are proven problems with street drinkers, and Kent Police undertake a regular policing operation, called Op Impede to address the problem.” - Dr Alison Barnett

“There are proven problems with street drinkers, and Kent Police undertake a regular policing operation, called Op Impede to address the problem,” she writes.

“Medway Council Public Health has identified Chatham High Street and its surrounds as of particular concern with regard to dependent street drinkers.”

Wetherspoon’s application, writes Dr Barnett, has failed to identify issues with crime and disorder in the area, failed to address public nuisance or public safety issues, and failed to identify how children can be protected from harm.

The latter point was a particular cause for concern for Dr Barnett, who states Wetherspoon’s premises tend to be frequented by families and shoppers eating meals by day and drinkers by night, adding: “There is no indication of the times when children will be allowed on the premises and if there will be a time when this is not permitted.”

She concludes that “this is a poorly written application which fails to show how the applicant intends to promote licensing objectives in an area of high deprivation, alcohol-related crime and which has real social issues caused by the misuse of alcohol.”