THE site of a former pub at the heart of the current Lime Street battleground has been earmarked as an official gathering point for city centre street drinkers.

The derelict land, on Bolton Street, is just yards away from Lime Street Station, the key gateway into Liverpool.

Liverpool City Council's planning committee is being asked on Tuesday to allow the site of the former Punch and Judy pub  to be used to provide a "REST centre" facility – Rehabilitation, Education, Support and Treatment - for street drinkers over the summer months from June 1.

If the facility wasn’t acceptable on Roscoe Street it shouldn’t be allowed in Bolton Street

Neighbouring businesses and residents  have protested about the plan and a petition signed by 700 people has been sent to the Town Hall. It follows uproar last year when the council revealed plans to site a similar facility in Roscoe Street, in the Rodney Street conservation area.

There is already a major problem around Lime Street, say protesters, with people begging, fighting, drinking and urinating in the street and taking drugs - all leading to harassment of those working and living nearby, they claim, adding that visitors arriving at Lime St Station will be given a poor first impression of the city.

“If approved, the area around Lime St will become a focal point for street drinking leading to an increase in anti-social behaviour. Bolton Street should not be allowed to become a dumping ground for drinkers and drug deals.

“If the facility wasn’t acceptable on Roscoe Street it shouldn’t be allowed in Bolton Street.”

It will mean clearing the site and using temporary buildings as the centre. The site adjoins the derelict Futurist Cinema which is at the centre of a major planning row between the council, developers and campaigners wanting at least the facade of the cinema, Liverpool’s first purpose built picture house, to be preserved.

Opposite the proposed site is s multi-storey residential block, housing hundreds of students.

The original plan to provide a centre at 91 Roscoe Street provoked uproar . It was eventually pulled “to allow for a review of alternative options to be undertaken”.

A report to councillors ahead of Tuesday’s meeting says: “The local area currently suffer from a street drinking problem and the purpose of the REST Centre is to provide a managed area which street drinkers will be encouraged to visit to receive advice and guidance to tackle the associated health issues, environmental problems, crime and anti social behaviour street drinking often results in.

“It is intended the facility will provide a safe area where street drinkers will be able to spend time under close supervision and helped to reduce their intake of alcohol and so alleviate the problems currently experienced by local residents, businesses and the city and associated bodies such as the police.

The plan is to provide three portable buildings each measuring 4.8m x 2.7m x 2.67m in height which will provide a staff room/office; medical assessment room; and activity space respectively with portable toilets.  The space outside the buildings will used as an external social area, access provided through two gated entrances onto Bolton street.

The report adds: “The proposal is not a rehabilitation centre whose users are committed to treatment with a detox programme. It is a facility for street drinkers attended by people who are in all likelihood are dependent on alcohol and still drinking heavily. In practice this means there will be supervised consumption of alcohol on the premises.

"Alcohol will be decanted into plastic beakers and non alcoholic cold and hot drinks will be provided as evidence shows this reduces the alcohol intake of service users. The site is to be managed by experienced and trained staff from the Whitechapel & Basement centres.”

The scheme has won backing from the three Labour councillors for Central Ward. Merseyside Police has also supported both the location and the ethos of such a centre for street drinkers.