|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Cannabis cafe opens its doors despite police raid
Paula Roberts The Daily Echo (Bournemouth)
Tuesday 02 Apr 2002 THE shutters on Bournemouth's first "cannabis coffee shop" opened on Monday despite being raided by police last week. The Dutch Experience 2 has been built in an old warehouse unit in the industrial estate off Station Approach near to Ashley Road, Boscombe. Proprietor James Ward and his army of workers have spent three weeks transforming the unit into a coffee shop, which is close to the Clubhouse and Clouds Working Recovery - two successful dug rehabilitation centres. It is also near to King's Park Primary School. Mr Ward said: "We lost a couple of days work last week so we're opening today and may close for a couple of days to get sorted before opening again." Stuart Lees, of Bullock and Lees, who act as agent for the landlady, has told the Daily Echo that Mr Ward faces eviction from the building. "He shouldn't be there and he won't be there much longer. He is going to be removed. It is all illegal." But Mr Ward said yesterday: "I have received no eviction notice. How much sense does that make?" Mr Ward and cannabis cafe members handed out fliers on Friday night to clubbers in Bournemouth informing them of the cafe. It will be open from 10am to 10pm and will be for the over 18s. Alcohol and hard drugs are banned from the coffee shop. Most visitors at the coffee shop yesterday were from outside the area but one Boscombe resident, Michael Story-Jones, said: "I live opposite Boscombe police station and I decided to come down here and have a look. I think it's fantastic. I will be a regular here." Tim Evans travelled down from North Wales to support the opening of the cafe. He says he suffers from a bone-weakening disease and uses cannabis as a pain relief. "The only thing that helps is morphine-based pain killers or cannabis. "I prefer to use cannabis because you don't get addicted to it." Mr Ward said: "If you believe cannabis should be legal then come and visit us. If you don't then leave us alone. I am just trying to inform people about what is right." A police spokesman said yesterday that action would be taken as and when appropriate. "We are not making any comment about any operation which may take place."
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!