A NEW park in Portishead could encourage drug-taking and under-age drinking unless its name is changed, staff and governors of a primary school fear. Persimmon Special Project Western has lodged a planning application with North Somerset Council to create

A NEW park in Portishead could encourage drug-taking and under-age drinking unless its name is changed, staff and governors of a primary school fear.Persimmon Special Project Western has lodged a planning application with North Somerset Council to create Pill Park, which would features trees, shrubs, grass and paths, at East Dock.But staff and governors at Portishead Primary School, which is next to the proposed park, are concerned that the open space's name could encourage drug and alcohol misuse.So headteacher Mike Scriven has written to the district council's planning department to voice their concerns.Among the comments he makes about the proposed park, Mr Scriven says: "Finally, the governors and staff of the school, whilst recognising the origins of the name for this area, do feel that the use of the word 'Pill' in Pill Park does have unfortunate connotations."It would be most regrettable if certain minority sections of the community were seen to be given any inadvertent encouragement to view the area as one suitable for drug and/or alcohol misuse."Mr Scriven said the park's name had not been a subject of a formal discussion at the school, but there were concerns that the open space could become 'the place' for youngsters to take drugs and drink alcohol.A spokesman for Persimmon Special Project Western said: "The open space has to have a name for reference purposes to identify exactly where it is as there are plans to create several landscaped areas in the vicinity."The name Pill Park was chosen because it is next to the Pill inlet on the dock."Once it is finished, it won't end up with that name, in fact it probably won't end up with a name at all, it'll just be an open area.