David Knight: Old Aberdeen’s beautiful facade can’t hide the drugs blighting Spital Walk |
Things didn’t look quite as bad as they were cracked up to be – a rampant drugs den and police raids were what I expected.
Yet peace and tranquillity reigned in this leafy corner of Old Aberdeen.
Appearances are often deceiving, of course.
Severe anti-social activity comes in waves and even those wrapped up in the drugs scene need their rest.
It’s not always like this by any means.
The P&J reported how residents around here were at the end of their tether about drug-dealing in this little lane in the Old Aberdeen conservation area, close to the University of Aberdeen.
Plague of moths chewing through clothes
It’s one of those fundamental issues which eats away at the fabric of a local community like a plague of moths chewing through clothes in an old wardrobe.
Destructive mites which are almost impossible to eradicate once they take up residence.
The question now is whether the public authorities, which in part bear responsibility for thrusting this crisis on the community and for policing the consequences, are doing enough to resolve it?
Not surprisingly, the long-suffering residents here think not – a familiar community refrain, is it not?
Historical links between the university and local settlement (one of oldest in the city along with the Merchant Quarter and the fishing village of Footdee) go back to the 16th Century.
Open-top tourist buses trundle past here all the time during summer, for heaven’s sake – but I’m not sure if cruise passengers from the harbour and other visitors on board the bus notice anything untoward.
I decided to don my old news reporter’s hat to take a look for myself down at the focal point of the unrest in Spital Walk – or maybe it’s more like “Spital Walk on the Wildside” now.
Before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I was some kind of snooty, toffee-nosed outsider come to sneer – nothing could be further from the truth.
I live in this conservation zone, too – a few hundred yards away, but not affected directly by these goings on.
I’m a devoted “conservanista”, but worry about inconsistencies in how this important environmental council protection is administered.
They seem quite strict on planning matters, but lackadaisical in stopping societal rot from dragging it down.
For example, a planning application here is analysed closely to ensure it does not breach conservation rules over preserving the “character and heritage” of Old Aberdeen.
Quite right, but drug activity in residential properties is tolerated seemingly.
I took up a position where Spital Walk joins College Bounds, with lots of students going to and fro around the campus.
A similar view to tourists on the bus – very quaint and pleasant it was, too.
Magnificent cobbled College Bounds swept away towards the campus, and the twin minaret-style Powis Gates standing guard at one end.
Closer to me, an impressive 18th Century former professor’s home – Humanity Manse – sits in the grounds behind an elegant archway.
Humanitarian principles are being stretched to the limit now in Spital Walk.
The most striking thing in the lane is a charming 300-year-old white house, which I understand was the base for an orchard supplying the university in the old days (it’s why several street names around here start off with the word orchard).
Now dubious visitors following a drugs trail to other properties in the vicinity shatter the tranquility.
“There’s been a lot of screaming, shouting and fighting during the night – someone jumped out of an upstairs window to escape once,” said one neighbour whose patience had worn thin.
“We don’t know why they put people like that in here – unless it’s because there’s a pharmacy a short walk away offering drugs assistance to addicts.”
He raised another question which had also entered my mind: whether drug dealing on this scale was a potential threat in luring passing students.
As usual, I suspect a big issue with this is that the people in high places who make these decisions don’t live here themselves or have any affinity with the community.
The same might be said of the police.
Fear, helplessness and anger
Inevitably police were accused of being ineffective in tackling the issue, although there was a raid recently.
“No sooner have the police gone than they are at it again,” my informant told me.
Not much deterrent, it seems.
Words like fear, helplessness and anger over police inaction fill the air.
A council spokesman trotted out the old chestnut about being “unable to discuss individual tenancies” – does that mean countless complaints by far more residents whose lives are being ruined are less important?
We know north-east police don’t bother with “minor” crime anymore – but in my experience anything the police regard as minor is usually quite distressing to victims.
They want to concentrate on tackling the big stuff, but aren’t drugs supposed to be top priority?
David Knight is the long-serving former deputy editor of The Press and Journal