Exeter schoolchildren 'exposed to violence, drug taking and sexual acts'

An Exeter school has said its pupils have been exposed to violence, drug-taking and public sexual acts by street drinkers in the city centre. One teacher says she has even feared for the safety of herself and pupils.

Exeter Cathedral School has applied for a review of the premises licence held by Newham Stores, the Premier Express store on South Street. The school claims that alcohol sales at the shop have contributed to violence and damage to Kalendar Hall, the school's music building.

Responding to the application last month, shop owner Ross Newham said he was "disappointed" but had agreed to meet with the headmaster to find a solution. He said that he is also "frustrated" by issues of anti-social behaviour on South Street and that his store was not the sole cause.

The application will be discussed by Exeter City Council's Licensing Sub-Committee at a meeting next Wednesday, June 12. Ahead of the meeting, more details of the school's concerns have been published online.

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In documents submitted as part of the application, Exeter Cathedral School claims that people drinking alcohol purchased from Newham Stores have been involved in violence and disorder outside Kalendar Hall, including an arson attempt. The school says that litter, including discarded cans, is left on the wall and they have found vomit and human excrement in the doorway into the building.

The application also states that the school has "serious and substantive safeguarding and welfare concerns for the young children in our care". They say children have been exposed to violence, drug-taking and public sexual acts on the nearby Cathedral Green.

Exeter Cathedral School says: "Pupils at the School are aged between 3 and 13 years old. The noise, foul language and the smell of cannabis caused by the public drinking directly outside Kalendar Hall has a negative impact upon the learning experience and safety of the pupils within.

"There are serious and substantive safeguarding and welfare concerns for the young children in our care, who are exposed to foul language, raucous behaviour, drug-taking, public drinking, vomit, excrement, urine, litter, an arson attempt.

"This behaviour is also evident on the nearby Cathedral Green, where these activities take place directly outside the main entrance to the school for our 9-13 year old pupils and our staff.

"We are frequently obliged to call 999 to report illegal behaviour, and the children and staff are exposed to: violence (fights spilling into groups of pupils and their parents), drug-taking (cannabis and syringes), public drinking, litter, visibly using the school wall as a place to urinate and defecate, public sexual acts in full view of the children, intimidating and loud behaviour, foul language."

A visiting music teacher Lucy Cordon has shared her experience of working in Kalendar Hall as part of the application. While teaching on October 20, 2023, she says she heard "very fierce arguments" and bottles smashing outside her window. She says she now keeps the windows shut as she fears for the safety of herself and pupils after incidents of people "putting their hand up through the window, slam the window shut, try and communicate inappropriately through the window".

She added: "I do feel this is definitely a safeguarding issue and one that should not be ignored. As a mother and parent myself, I would be horrified if my children had to experience some of the unsociable behaviour outside my window, which I can still hear when the window is shut.

"I did feel quite anxious after the incident on Friday the 20th, and it does leave me feeling quite nervous when teaching in case we have an other incident."

Following a meeting, Ross and the school's headmaster James Featherstone say they have agreed to some solutions. The store could put back its alcohol sales to 8am to prevent anti-social behaviour in the area before the school opens.

Currently, Newham Stores makes full use of its licence to sell alcohol from 6am to 2am everyday. Ross says he is happy to make the change "voluntarily" but would like to avoid an official change to his licence.

Writing to the headmaster, Ross said: "As discussed with the Cathedral School, I offered to voluntarily change the start time for alcohol sales to 8am daily, to reduce any potential impact before they open up the school each day. Additionally, to deter any undesirables purchasing single cans to consume on the street, I removed the option to split 4 packs down on Strongbow, San Miguel and Desperados (they were the only single cider/beer can options anyway). I made this change with immediate effect.

"I'm happy to carry this policy on, with no intention of reverting back, but I'd like this to remain a voluntary condition as opposed to one mandated on my license. I cite that close-by rivals Sainsburys in the Guildhall and Tesco on the High Street have 6am licenses, but don't use them, along with no restriction on super strength alcohol sales."