Coventry's youth movement was initially met with opposition from the police force and local merchants. In 1970, the local police doubled their arrests from the previous year, imposed a curfew, and deployed street patrols to clear the sidewalks. For many it became apparent that while the loiterers didn't buy anything, they helped created a quaint, non-threatening environment that drew consumers to the area. Some residents, however, were able to hold on to their suspicions. As late as 1981, boutique shops at CoventrYard requested the aid of the local police to enforce loitering laws in an effort to drive away hippies. The patrolman at left was unaffectionately known as “Ticketman Ernie” — gently reviled for the thousands of parking tickets he issued along Coventry Road. | Source: Joe PolevoiDownload Original File
Source
Joe Polevoi
"Scene from a Street Fair, 1977" appears in: CoventrYard
