Fights, arguments over drink, openly urinating, users injecting each other and falling asleep on the grass.

This is a normal day at Thornton Heath Pond and have been witnessed and much more by mechanics at the MOT and repairs garage The Pond Garage.

Fed up they appealed to Croydon council: “We should not to have to watch this and have our business effected by this.

“I’ve had this lot trying to use my business entrance as a toilet, my neighbours door as toilet and even fall asleep between cars parked on my business premises the other day! and give abuse when woken.”

Dozens of new homes are being completed around The Pond and their occupants will shortly look out on to the bleak scene. Aside from the sterling effort of local volunteers who try to keep it clean and have created planters, shrub beds and are mosaic it is no more than a glorified roundabout – sadly neglected like most open space in the north.

West Thornton Cllr Stuart King responded by doing a litter pick of the cans and said he and fellow West ward councillors Janet Campbell and Bernadette Khan were concerned about the ASB and street drinking and had met with the council’s ASB Team and were ‘very pleased’ it has been added to the task list for the Working Group established by the council to tackle ASB in Thornton Heath.

Apparently the working group includes: “professionals from statutory agencies” with expertise in those areas who will be “Looking to provide holistic solutions.”

It’s unclear whether this approach will be any different to that taken at The Clocktower, which has made absolutely NO difference except now more drinkers gather.

Trumble Garden is experiencing similar issues. Named after a long forgotten councillor Alderman Trumble, the once regal gardens, are also sadly neglected, overgrown, with overflowing bins and have a staple of street drinkers who occupy the benches on a daily basis.