Police have called for a convenience store's bid to sell alcohol for longer to be rejected as they fear it will add to problems of street drinking in a town centre.

Bosses at Arena Food Centre in Ordnance Terrace, Chatham, have asked Medway Council to extend the shop's alcohol licence.

Currently its off-licence trading times run from 8am to 11pm faily, but if the plans go ahead they will be 8am to 12am, Sunday to Thursday, and 8am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Kent Police wrote to the authority, saying there is an "unacceptably high" rate of alcohol-related crime and disorder in Chatham town centre, as well as, "alcohol-related hospital admissions, ambulance call outs and A&E admissions due to assaults, and street drinkers."

A report from PC Andre Smuts states how, on two occasions last month, officers observed street drinkers in the alleyway and stairwells around a block of flats on Ordnance Street, where littered beer cans and human faeces were also spotted.

The area falls within the council's Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) which sets out how new or revised applications for the sale of alcohol for off-site consumption will be refused unless the applicant can demonstrate the premises would not affect licensing aims.

These include the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance.

PC Smuts said: "It is the opinion of Kent Police that the application has not sufficiently demonstrated what circumstances make it exceptional and how the activity would not adversely affect the licensing objectives.

"This, along with the likelihood of there being additional violent crime, disorder, and public nuisance, it is sought that the licensing committee takes the view that variation application will be refused."

Medway's Public Health department also objected to the proposals to extend the shop's licence.

A meeting will be held to discuss the plans on Tuesday.

Councillors will also consider plans put forward by Quality Kebab and Chicken on Gillingham High Street.

Its owners have a licence to sell alcohol late at night, but have asked if they can do this between 11am and 12am.

However, after 6pm any alcohol would only be sold if someone also purchased a meal for delivery.

Gillingham High Street is also its own CIP area.

Police are concerned allowing the eatery to expand the hours it can sell alcohol will add to issues with street drinking in the area.

PC Dan Hunt wrote to the council, saying: "The additional availability of more alcohol in an area of recognised widespread multiple deprivation already saturated with off licence premises, be it over the counter or via home delivery to customers within this town centre CIP area, is likely to have an adverse impact on and exacerbate alcohol-related crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour already experienced within this are"