Bulwell residents 'uneasy' as police enforce dispersal orders to combat anti-social behaviour

Residents in a Nottingham suburb have expressed their concerns after a "very successful" police operation saw eight people engaging in anti-social behaviour be removed from the streets. The special powers were enforced in Bulwell thanks to two dispersal orders that were put in place in the town following an increase in anti-social behaviour.

The orders were in place between Friday, January 17, and Monday, January 20, and empowered officers to direct people away from a specified area and – if appropriate – return them to their home address. Five instructions to leave were issued after people were seen begging, and three young people were returned home during the operation.

But residents and businesses have said that the issues aren't new. Vikki Taylor, 27, said: "There's a lot of begging on our streets and it can be quite unpleasant when you're just trying to get to a shop and get on with your day. I have seen very young people, probably teenagers, on their e-scooters wearing balaclavas.

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"It makes you feel uneasy, but I think pretty much everywhere is like that. Hopefully that dispersal order has deterred some of them from doing this."

Resident Amanda Stevenson, 67, however, thinks the measure won't have a long-term impact. She said: "Begging has always been a problem around here and I agree some of them can be quite aggressive.

"But I doubt the order has done much because they'll be back out and about in no time. People have no shame. I don't really come into town in the afternoon because it feels quite anti-social. I wonder if the parents know what their children are up to most of the time."

A worker at a pawn shop on Main Street said the business has thankfully not been targeted in the past year. She said: "We've not been affected recently, probably not in a year.

"We've seen incidents where they [teenagers] would steal eggs from Iceland and chuck them on the street and in the businesses' windows. We do regularly see them up and down here wearing balaclavas."

A nearby butcher added: "We have seen beggars in the streets but we close before about 4pm so we've not really had issues with kids."

The order was in place within the boundary of Carey Road, Cantrell Road, Station Road, Bulwell Bogs, Bulwell High Rd, Commercial Road, Rock Street, Squires Avenue, Main Street and Hucknall Lane extending down to Leen Drive. Inspector Paul Ferguson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We have been made aware of a recent increase in anti-social behaviour and aggressive street begging in the town centre that has caused considerable concern to residents, shoppers and local businesses.

“This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable and we won’t hesitate to take robust action to address it with this kind of proactive policing operation. As a result of this increased activity we removed eight people from the town centre and have earmarked further positive action with the young people involved to ensure this behaviour is not repeated.

“All in all this was a very successful operation and one we won’t hesitate to repeat.”