Photo: ICPonline
- Next Article Free water taps keep Helsinki cool in summer heat
A long-standing bench outside a Helsinki supermarket has been removed following years of complaints about public intoxication, triggering mixed reactions from local residents.
The bench, located outside K-Supermarket Hertta in the Herttoniemi district, had become a known gathering place for a group of men who regularly drank there. Customers and staff reported frequent disturbances, including loud arguments, littering, and, on some occasions, open fires and medical emergencies.
Store owner Markus Ranne said the decision was not taken lightly but was necessary due to ongoing safety concerns.
“We received hundreds of customer complaints,” Ranne said. “We had been asking for the bench to be removed for years.”
The bench was installed in 2017 by property owner Kesko as part of a store expansion project. Ranne said that while not all who gathered at the bench caused trouble, the impact on the store’s environment and safety was significant. Staff often had to intervene in incidents both inside and outside the store. Police and ambulances were called to the scene repeatedly in recent years.
The bench was removed in mid-June. It has since been replaced by a summer theatre advertisement board. According to Ranne, the atmosphere around the store has noticeably improved since its removal.
Still, the decision has sparked a wave of criticism and emotional responses from some residents and shoppers.
Kirsti Sahlman, who has lived in the area for more than 30 years, said the group around the bench never bothered her.
“They were middle-aged and older men, mostly local, many probably lonely,” she said. “They argued among themselves sometimes, but they left others alone.”
Vendors at a nearby berry stall echoed that sentiment, saying the group was noisy but never threatening.
Fundraisers Emil Storgård and Stefan Soland, who work near the supermarket, said the group had simply relocated elsewhere.
“People still drink, they just sit somewhere else now. It wasn’t the bench’s fault,” said Storgård, who was sitting on a windowsill where the group now sometimes gathers. “There should be more places to sit, not fewer. People need public space.”
Sonja Jusi, another local, said she initially hesitated to use the water tap and bench nearby due to maintenance issues, but recent improvements had made access easier. She said the removal was disappointing.
While some shoppers have welcomed the change, others have said they will stop shopping at the store in protest. Ranne acknowledged the frustration.
“It would be lovely to have a bench to sit on with ice cream on a summer day,” he said. “But I have to prioritise the safety of my staff and customers. These issues needed to be addressed.”
Benches remain inside the store, and the K-Supermarket shares its premises with an Alko liquor shop, which Ranne said may have contributed to attracting heavy drinkers to the location.
HT
- Next Article Free water taps keep Helsinki cool in summer heat
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
