An upmarket home furnishing store in central Kingston is demanding action, after complaining that street drinkers gathering outside their store every day were harming business.

The Futon Company in Old London Road said the group, which congregated in the Fairfield until they were banned, intimidated customers and were sometimes so noisy it had to close its doors to use the phone. It wanted a solution before more congregated in the summer.

Store manager Georgina Weedon said: “It is very intimidating for customers. There have been times when there has been vomit on the floor. You see people crossing the road before they even get to the door.

“Obviously our sales have diminished from what they were five years ago. You can’t blame it all on them but it definitely has an impact.

“We don’t know what the long term solution is. They need to find a place for them to go or something for them to do. You can’t just shove them somewhere. The council does need to find a better solution to just move them on.”

Councillor Chrissie Hitchcock stressed the drinkers were Kingston residents in a public space and were not doing anything illegal.

She said: “I feel sorry them. All they are doing is getting moved around again and again and again.

“I would love to have a place for them to go and resolve it but with the price of land no one’s going to give them it so I guess there’s nothing that can be done.”