CALLS FOR ACTION OVER LANCING CANNABIS CAFE SAGA

THE Home Office looks set to intervene in the long-running stalemate
between residents and police and the operators of Lancing's cannabis cafe.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton asked the government to
step when speaking during Home Office Questions, on Monday, February 25.

Mr Loughton said the cafe was the source of great annoyance for
people living nearby, and described it as a blight on his constituency.

He added: "It acts as a magnet for all sorts of low life coming into Lancing.

"Despite the best endeavours of the police, who have raided the place
five times, no prosecution has been brought to close it down.

"It is heavily fortified, well beyond what is required for a
legitimate cafe, and a constantly fired furnace is used to burn the
evidence the minute any police come in."

Extra security

The cafe is surrounded by concrete-filled tyres and razorwire, with a
fortified height-restriction barrier at the entrance to the site, in
Freshbrook Road, Lancing.

CCTV cameras are fixed to the outside of the building, which has a
six-inch thick steel reinforced front door and window bars.

Mr Loughton said he had written to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, and
asked Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, Vernon Coaker MP,
what help the government could offer.

Describing the situation as deplorable, Mr Coaker said: "I have not
heard of anything quite as bad as that with respect to cannabis cafes."

He added: "We need to ensure that we nip the situation in the bud, so
that people see the serious consequences of such practice, and so
that it does not spread anywhere else in the country."

The next steps

Speaking on Tuesday, February 26, Mr Loughton said: "I wrote to the
Home Secretary on this matter last week and I am delighted that they
are taking the concerns of my constituents seriously.

"The minister has promised to look into the situation and will
contact my office shortly to discuss what our next steps should be in
our campaign against the owners of the cafe who seem to think they
are above the law of our country."