COCAINE INVESTIGATION: OUR RESULTS

Our swabs indicated traces of cocaine in the following
places:Banburys, Barnstaple: Peter Banbury said: "The reality is it's
probably not our regular customers. If there are no public
conveniences people will do it wherever they can. We clean up to six
times a day but you won't get rid of the trace elements. "The problem
is a lot bigger than people perceive and I believe it is relatively
cheap to buy now. If there were better public conveniences in the
town I would then be hugely surprised at the findings."

Barnstaple Civic Centre: A Devon County Council spokesman said: "The
Civic Centre is a public building used by a number of different
services including the courts and visited each day by a great number
of people. That said, I am surprised at the Journal's findings
because it shows possibly how widespread an issue drugs is."

Barnstaple Railway station: Richard Smith, press officer for rail
company First, said: "We are distressed to discover that people are
using the toilets to take drugs but this is not a problem that I
recall ever having dealt with before in Devon. We cannot police all
of our passengers all of the time but will ask our staff to be
vigilant in the future."

Boston Tea Party, Barnstaple: Sam Roberts, managing director, said:
"I'm shocked and appalled that it has been found at Boston Tea Party.
I wouldn't describe our business as a high risk one for this type of
activity. I will inform all the staff members who will be extra vigilant."

Brian Ford, Barnstaple: Store manager Richard Dewberry said: "I have
spoken to the security manager about this. We do have a staff policy
on drug use but for customers and people using the toilets - that's
different. We monitor the toilets five or six times a day. But I
don't think we'd know if people using cocaine had a problem. "Since
the public toilets have been closed near the leisure centre we are
getting more people coming in, particularly in the evening. If anyone
from outside is caught, as with shop lifters we would call the police
and let them deal with it. "There are questions here though, such as
how can we as an industry stop cocaine use in our stores. Perhaps we
can never get round that one."

Burton Art Gallery (see Torridge District Council response below).

Claytons, Barnstaple: no comment

Cork and Bottle: Licensee Grant Bissett said: "This is a zero
tolerance pub, but what do you do? Do you follow people into toilets?
If you see anyone who looks like they're on drugs you do something
about it. This is something I'll be looking into if you're telling me
that's what's happening. Maybe we need to look at using more abrasive
cleaning agents to prevent people from taking drugs but need to speak
to the staff. However, we've cameras in the toilets. We can see what
has happened."

Crabby Dicks, Bideford: "Thank you for bringing this to our
attention. We are very surprised and disappointed to learn about an
alleged trace of drugs being found in one of our toilets as we
operate and enforce a very strict anti-drugs policy including a right
to search anyone suspected of having drugs in their possession. "We
fully involve and cooperate with the police if any drug dealing or
taking is suspected. In addition if drugs are found the person would
be banned from our premises. Clearly it would not be possible or
acceptable to search every person who enters our premises. We will
remain vigilant to any suspicious activities and intend to continue a
zero-tolerance to this drug taking problem."

Durrant House Hotel: "As like any other company, if a staff member is
found using drugs they would be instantly dismissed. If a guest was
found using them, they would be asked to leave immediately."

Green Lanes Shopping Centre, Barnstaple: Green Lanes Shopping Centre
manager Jan Dayman said she wasn't really surprised at the findings.
She said: "Since the public toilets have closed around town we have
seen an increase in the number of drug users using our public
toilets, and an increase in vandalism." She said extra CCTV had been
installed and there was increased security in the area. But without
knowing who to watch for, it was a difficult situation to monitor and control.

Hatherleigh Community Centre: "Drugs are totally banned and anyone
found using drugs would be reported to the police".

Marks & Spencer, Barnstaple: A spokesman said: "We would like to
reassure our customers that we take matters regarding illegal drug
use in our stores very seriously. "We don't condone this kind of
behaviour and should anyone be found taking drugs on our premises we
would alert the police immediately."

Morrisons, Bideford and Bude: "Morrisons operates a strict no drugs
policy and has policies and procedures in place to ensure the
customer toilets are cleaned hourly and checked by security guards on
a regular basis."

North Devon District Council toilets: Councillor Rodney Cann said:
"The problem is no worse in North Devon than anywhere else. It is a
UK-wide issue and not as serious here as in metropolitan areas.
However we do take it seriously and liaise with the police, and have
installed CCTV cameras in our latest toilet block in Rock Park."

Olive Branch, Barnstaple: Owner Susan Hall said: "There is no
tolerance towards drug users at the Olive Branch at all. Anyone
caught using drugs is banned for life from our premises. This is a
pub - these things go on. People will always find a way to use drugs.
It's very worrying. I'll be contacting police for their guidance. We
are all law abiding citizens and take running the pub very seriously
- - there are good and bad parts to that. This is a bad part and very
disturbing."

She later said: "I've spoken to the police about this. We've ordered
blue lights in toilets so people can't see their veins. This is the
first step to try and get rid of drug abuse at the Olive Branch. We
have a very good reputation. We run a clean house and want to make
sure it's as clean as possible."

Plough Arts Centre: Director Richard Wolfenden-Brown said: "We are
disappointed with your findings. We take drug misuse extremely
seriously. All our staff and volunteers are vigilant in this regard
and at certain live events we display prominent signage warning that
drug misuse will not be tolerated on the premises. "Over the past few
years the police have been actively invited to attend any Plough
events where their presence might reduce the likelihood of any
criminal activity taking place, including drug misuse. They have
rarely attended as The Plough is seen as a safe and law abiding venue
where local people attend a range of world class arts events,
screenings and workshops. Over 65,000 people entered The Plough for
all purposes during the last year. We do not have a reputation for
drug use. We would maintain that your 'investigation' has uncovered a
rare and isolated incident. "As a public venue in Great Torrington
town centre, we effectively operate as a public convenience, a role
we are happy to fill as it serves a need for our customers and the
wider community. Inevitably given that the drug you mention has no
smell and leaves no obvious residue that can be seen with the naked
eye, it is very difficult for us to detect this type of drug misuse
in the building, if it is occurring. Short of installing CCTV in each
toilet cubicle, which would clearly infringe basic human rights, this
is not an issue that can easily be completely eradicated, by The
Plough, or by other public venues in North Devon. "The importance we
attach to the health and wellbeing of Plough customers is illustrated
by the fact that The Plough was one of the first arts centres in the
country to become a non smoking venue, in March 2004, over three
years before other public venues were forced by law to do so. We are
mindful of our responsibilities in operating a public venue. We take
your findings seriously, we will be vigilant, and will not become
complacent about this issue, but we honestly believe that we do not
have a persistent! problem with illegal drug misuse at The Plough."

Public toilets: Bideford Quay, Victoria Park, South Molton Pannier
Market, Blackmoor Gate, Sydney House car park, Wilder Road, Westward
Ho! slipway, Bideford Pannier Market, Hatherleigh Public Toilets,
Barnstaple Pannier (Market St), Ilfracombe Harbour, Westward Ho! promenade.

St John's Garden Centre, Barnstaple: Director Nick Oliver said: "I'm
surprised and disappointed at these findings. Our toilets are
obviously accessible by the public and we can't see what they're
doing in there, but I guess you never know. As far as employees are
concerned, under the terms and conditions of employment drugs are
obviously forbidden and it would be gross misconduct if any staff
were found to be using illegal substances on the premises. Were we to
catch someone taking drugs here they would be evicted from the
premises and the police would be called."

Tavern in the Port, Bideford: No comment

Torridge District Council HQ, Riverbank House: "In a recent
undercover operation carried out by The North Devon Journal a random
drug test was carried out at some Torridge District Council
properties. The test highlighted traces of cocaine use within some of
the public toilets within Riverbank House and The Burton Art Gallery.
In response to this an immediate enquiry into how this could have
occurred was undertaken with all elements being considered." Chief
Executive John van de Laarschott has taken this matter seriously and
stated: "We acknowledge that there is a UK drug problem and North
Devon is no different from the rest of the country despite its
geographical isolation. However Torridge District Council, along with
our partners including the police, health, education and social
services, consistently and proactively tackle local issues. Riverbank
House and the Burton Art Gallery do allow access to the general
public and this therefore provides opportunities for misuse of the
facilities. In this particular case the samples taken from our
buildings were from areas that offer full public access and
unfortunately we are unable to police these areas on a full time
basis. Torridge realises that the swabs taken are not definitive
proof but we take the claims extremely seriously and will be looking
into these issues. If we felt the matter was staff related, of which
we have no proof, we would naturally pursue the problem through the
appropriate procedures." Council leader James Morrish said: "We
operate an open door policy at Torridge and encourage our residents
and business owners to visit and attend our council meetings. These
of course include full council meetings and other such committees.
These can at times have up to a hundred people in attendance,
therefore heightening the possibility of something like this
happening. This issue though is one of a much larger nature and the
fact that we have a 'drugs issue' within the North Devon area. I !
have written to the Chief Constable Stephen Otter about this and am
awaiting a response. In the mean time I have asked all of staff at
Torridge District Council to increase vigilance and report anything
that does not look appropriate immediately."

Zena's, Barnstaple: Restaurant manager Tracy Pearce said: "I'm very
shocked to be honest with you. I just can't imagine anyone doing
drugs at a place like this. Most of our clientele are fairly elderly
and although we do get some younger people in over the weekends I
can't imagine any of our customers doing drugs here. As far as staff
are concerned we operate a zero tolerance policy which would result
in their dismissal and the police being called." Restaurant owner
Zena Burland later challenged the findings, saying the cocaine swab
might have reacted to a cleaning product or other substance in the toilet.

Negative results: North Devon Journal, Kings Arms, Bideford;
Wetherspoons, Barnstaple; Imperial Hotel, Barnstaple; Tesco,
Barnstaple; Somerfield, Holsworthy; B &Q, Barnstaple; Barnstaple bus
station; Bideford Town Hall, Holsworthy Memorial Hall; North Devon
Leisure Centre, Ilfracombe; North Devon District Hospital; Queen's
Theatre, Barnstaple; South Molton Community College; Bideford
Football Club's Robins Nest; Brookes Garden Centre; Wimpy restaurant,
Barnstaple; Lakeside Centre, Roadford Lake; McDonalds restaurant,
Barnstaple; KFC Barnstaple; public phone box at Ilfracombe harbour;
public toilets at Holsworthy (next top bus station), Barbrook, Lynton
Town Hall, Rock Park.