Business leaders have called on the city council and police to oust drunks from the centre of Oxford.

They want the council to look again at introducing stricter by-laws against street drinking - last considered seriously in 1994.

Bill McCardle, policy manager of Oxfordshire Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said public drunkenness had worsened in the last 12 months.

He said the problem had been discussed by the chamber and the Oxford Central Retail Association (OCRA) last month. He said: "Our view is quite clear. Something needs to be done to stop the bad image these sort of people are giving Oxford. Whether it's a by-law, or greater enforcement by the police or action by the city council, we want to see action taken."

Brendan Hattam, Westgate Shopping Centre manager and vice-chairman of OCRA, said there was a genuine concern among traders about drinkers.

But any ban should not threaten attempts to introduce continental-style pavement cafes. He said: "The drinking areas would have to be strictly controlled. There would have to be nominated areas. That is the way it tends to work on the continent."

Tough by-laws have been introduced in Worcester, Cheltenham and Gloucester and have been successful in reducing town centre drunkenness.

Oxford police and the city centre management team say they are prepared to look again at this as a way forward.

Insp Keith Henderson, of Oxford police, said: "I think there is potential for some form of restriction on drinking from open vessels to be a solution. We are happy to enter the debate."

Sophie Lancaster, of Oxford's City Centre Management team said: "We are happy to go into talks with various organisations and authorities to have some sort of co-ordinated approach to improve the situation in the city centre."

Mervin Msaya , crime strategy co-ordinator for the city council, said by-laws had been drafted to give police extra powers to arrest street drinkers.

But he said the Home Office had advised the city council to wait until the Criminal Justice and Police Bill was passed by Parliament.

This will give local authorities powers to ban drinking from parts of the city centre.

A ban was considered by the city council in 1994, but it decided this would only move the problem from the city centre to areas where there were fewer police.

But Cllr Eric Lucas (Green), chairman of the city's health and environment committee, said such a move would destroy Oxford's cosmopolitan feel by discouraging people from enjoying themselves in places like parks, and would drive drinkers into back streets and to council estates.

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