Dundee publican considers closing bar over drugs and anti-social behaviour.
Mike Johnston reports that some of his clients are now avoiding the Arctic Bar owing to fears about their safety.
Dundee city centre pub owner claims he is considering closing his establishment after more than 20 years in business due to escalating drug and anti-social behaviour issues in the area.
Mike Johnston, who has owned the Arctic Bar on New Inn Entry for 22 years, said the situation has worsened since the Covid epidemic, with the last eight months being the worst yet.
He told The Courier that he has “lost faith” in police to address the concerns, which now include crack cocaine being smoked in the entryway of the pub, teens trading narcotics, children carrying knives, and vandalism.
Mike added, “It’s shocking what’s going on outside almost every day: drug users smoking crack pipes, kids dealing, drug paraphernalia everywhere, kids carrying weapons.”
“Some of our regulars have informed us they’re not willing to walk up New Inn Entry because it’s not worth the effort for a pint. “Our customers are calling it ‘Cocaine Alley’.”
Last November, The Courier reported that workers in nearby establishments had called the pend ‘Crack Alley’ due to ongoing drug difficulties.
At the time, Dundee City Council said that additional CCTV had been deployed.
Mike claims that while some people move on when confronted, others do not, leaving his team feeling powerless.
Youths pictured tearing down posters near entrance to Arctic Bar
The publican claims to call police “at least twice a week” and has installed his own CCTV cameras to dissuade offenders.
However, he concedes that the situation has deteriorated to the point that the bar may need to close. He stated, “It’s gotten to the point where we’re thinking about our future here, which is devastating.
“We don’t want to do that, given how long we’ve had the place.” The most recent incident occurred on Saturday night, when young people were seen pulling down posters in the alleyway and causing a mess.
According to Mike, a band performing at the Arctic Bar stopped playing to observe the events firsthand.
He continued, “This is the second week in a row that posters have been ripped down in the alley.
“We did call the police, but they arrived after the group had left. “One of our costumers earlier attempted to challenge these young people about another matter, and his girlfriend was spat on by a 13-year-old.
“This really is a last resort for me, speaking out publicly about how dire this situation is at the moment.”
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