Southmead property closed for drug dealing

A north Bristol property will be closed for three months after becoming a ‘non-stop drug store’.

Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol City Council worked together to secure a closure order for a property in Ambleside Avenue, Southmead, on Wednesday 7 September.

Magistrates at Bristol Magistrates’ Court granted the closure order in just 20 minutes.

It is the seventh closure order for the Southmead area of Bristol.

Following reports of fighting, drug dealing and assaults at the property, it was known as a ‘persistent’ and ‘prolific’ property in the local community.

In a statement, one local resident said the property was a ‘non-stop drug store’ with sometimes eight of nine people queuing outside.

They added: “There was constant shouting, swearing and fighting, both in and outside the property.

“Residents lived in fear of having their homes invaded and felt they had to choose carefully the times to leave their homes unattended.”

Local Remedy Sgt Richard Jones said: “This is the seventh property in the Southmead area to have a closure order imposed.

“Properties like this, which are used as hubs for drug dealing and anti-social behaviour, are blights on the community and no-one should live in fear that their house could be broken into or worse.

“We hope this closure order will provide peace of mind to members of the community and we will not stop here. We will be working with our partners at Bristol City Council to shut down similar properties until our residents can live in peace.”

Bristol City Council will now commence repossession proceedings, with the aim of repossessing the property.

Anyone experiencing issues with antisocial behaviour in their area can report it online.