unoriginalname38 – the blog of Dave Cole

Anti-social behaviour in Westminster

I live in an anti-social behaviour dispersal area in the City of Westminster, near the Channel Four building. For people who don't know the area, it's about five minutes' walk from Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. The dispersal area is a result of young people wearing hoods standing around on the street. I am aware that I am fairly large and not a likely candidate to be intimidated, but I have not seen (and my flat looks over the length of Arneway Street) any of the kids who hang around there annoying anyone. One one occasion, they were kicking a football against a building - signs have appeared saying 'No Ball Games' and they have stopped completely. There is nowhere for them to go and play ball games - the Channel Four garden doesn't allow ball games. There is no youth centre in this area. There is the lovely open space in the middle of Vincent Square which is used for ball games - but, as its owned by Westminster School, no-one can use it. My point is that this area has been dropped in place when the problem is really not that serious.

At the end of my road is a pub. On the road outside the pub on Saturday night was a fight large enough, by my count, to justify four police vans, two panda cars and a 4x4 to break up. The cause was football, opposing teams and alcohol in excess quantities.

I wonder which is actually more antisocial?

xD.

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