Fed-up Glastonbury business owners have called for a ban on street drinking after another tense meeting over rising anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

The meeting, held on Friday at Glastonbury Town Hall, brought together traders, MP Sarah Dyke, police officers and Somerset councillor Federica Smith Roberts.

Business owners spoke about daily issues including theft, drug use, intimidating behaviour, rough sleeping, littering, and the availability of cheap alcohol from local supermarkets. Several said they feared for their staff and customers and called for urgent action.

Ms Dyke confirmed that she has pushed Somerset Council to bring in a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to ban drinking in public and give police more power to intervene. "This measure is now in process," she said. "I'm grateful to councillor Federica Roberts-Smith for attending and updating us all on the progress and expected timeframes."

She also praised police efforts in difficult circumstances: "While I understand many residents are still incredibly frustrated – it's important to note that the local police have worked hard to have policing hours tripled in Glastonbury, and seasonal hotspot patrols extended through the winter."

Inspector Rachel Clark and Sergeant Simon Lancey told the meeting that reporting remains key and that officers are now coordinating updates three times a day. They also confirmed that police now flag Glastonbury-specific evidence when presenting cases to court.

A number of new community ideas were raised, including better support for vulnerable individuals before crisis point, a local clean-up initiative, and more communication between traders and the town council.

Ms Dyke said: "Some great ideas came from the community and I will be following up on many of these. I'm committed to working with all stakeholders, agencies and services to ensure Glastonbury remains a positive and unique place for people to live, work and visit."

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