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Shop staff address heated community forum as anti-social behaviour issues increase
23/06/2023
Staff are at the end of their tether and more resources are urgently needed
Anti-social behaviour and abuse to shop staff brought a number of people to a heated community forum at the Sunshine Centre on Bretch Hill last night (Thursday).
Calls were made for more to be done about a small minority of youngsters who were stealing, causing trouble and intimidating shop staff.
In the face of increasing problems one local councillor is calling for more resources to be made available before a really serious incident occurs.
Councillor Mark Cherry chaired the forum. He said: “The staff have come to the end of their tether and I think it all came to a head. People were upset.
“As local councillors – and as I chair the forum – I wanted to emphasize that every lever I can push is being pushed and will be pushed.”
Faqir Sharma has run the Londis store at Bradley Arcade for 36 years, since 1987. He believes that the situation has got far worse recently.
Mr Sharma said: “I don’t know why the parents aren’t controlling them. What will be their future? They should be studying and becoming good citizens.
“My staff are scared that if we arrest them or just tell them off they will threaten the staff’s children.
“One of my paperboys said he didn’t want to deliver newspapers to one area because these boys were carrying knives and screwdrivers, so we’re having problems delivering papers there.”
The problem is something Thames Valley Police are aware of. Meetings are already held between them, Children’s Social Care, the Community Safety Team and local schools in an attempt to address the problem. It is currently one of the Neighbourhood Team’s main focuses and they are hoping to arrange proactive patrols and more engagement work.
Following last night’s community forum it was agreed that a letter would be sent to the Chief Constable in an attempt to get more resources to try and tackle the problem.
Councillor Cherry said: “What I don’t want – and what the residents are concerned about – is that somebody could get killed.
“Its come to that point. More has got to be done – more resources are needed.
“We need more Police in Banbury. Hopefully after last night this will be the springboard to move that forward.”
Faqir Sharma at the Londis store expressed his concerns on wider impact to the community and future generations. He said: “We are worried about our livelihood and our staff. But at the same time, as a parent myself, I am worried about their future. What will become of them?”
He added: “I don’t think the public will like it if we end up having to cut down our hours. But it’s a simple thing: if we haven’t got staff in the evenings we will have to shut it down.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam