At the request of residents, we have continued to urge the Council to relocate the two benches at the corner of Southwick Street and Star Street. Residents say the benches attract regular anti-social activity at night/early morning as well as litter and rubbish dumping.
Residents say that much of the anti-social behaviour (ASB) centred around the benches occurs in the early hours of the morning, between 2am and 3am, when there are no police patrols. The ASB either involves drunk people resting around the benches who continue their loud drunken conversations in the early morning, or involving drug dealing and prostitution.
This area has a long-established reputation for both prostitution and drug use and it is surprising that both the Council and Police appear to take a very relaxed view of the way that the location of these two benches simply encourages further ASB to the detriment of local residents.
Surely the relocation of these benches to somewhere more appropriate, such as Norfolk Square, would be make good sense both in fighting ASB and improving the lives of residents.
