Crunch talks to tackle anti-social behaviour on Inverness High Street were held yesterday in a bid to stop drunks and drug addicts from “killing off tourism and trade” in the city centre.
Inverness BID (Business Improvement District) hosted a meeting with police and council officials after the owner of a city centre food outlet voiced his anger at “louts” driving away business.
Andrea Miola, who runs Buonissimo Italian Street Food, said: “The sight of drunks and drug addicts vomiting and collapsing on the High Street is not good for the city.
“They will kill the city centre if they are allowed to continue. It will kill off tourism and trade.”
He claims his business, which has seating on the pedestrian area just opposite the Town House, has suffered as a result of anti-social behaviour on his doorstep – most recently a serious fracas last month.
Police have increased their presence in the city centre since last November, with officers now based in the Town House frequently carrying out street patrols.
But Mr Miola last night said more needed to be done, and he welcomed the response from the various agencies in “promising to take a harder stance” on those responsible.
Seating outside McDonalds has regularly been blamed by some as being a magnet for anti-social behaviour, but Inverness deputy provost Bet McAllister said: “It has been a problem for a while at that end of the High Street, but we are looking at ways of dealing with it, including moving the troublesome seating away to elsewhere.
“It is not nice seeing people behaving inappropriately and drinking there. Hopefully other measures will help solve the problem.”
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Inverness Bid community safety manager John McDonald said: “It was a constructive and positive meeting. There was no pointing of fingers, just discussions on ways to find solutions.
“The problem is more societal and we need to look at ways to support those less fortunate than others who have problems in terms of addiction or health issues, such as mental health.
“We are working with partner agencies to tackle these issues.”
But he added: “There has been a substantial improvement in the ambience of the city centre since the police presence increased.
“I believe the centre is a lot safer and more attractive. The scale of criminality has reduced, but we accept there is still some anti-social behaviour occurring which we are looking at dealing with.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We are committed to providing a highly visible presence in the area in the form of the Inverness City Centre Policing Team based in the Town House.
“This is an arrangement which has now been in place for a year and we believe this has already made a positive difference in the city centre.
“We are committed to working with the public, Highland Council, Inverness BID and other partners to provide reassurance and deter criminality and anti-social behaviour, while also dealing with any issues which do arise.
“Anti-social behaviour is not acceptable and we are committed to working collectively to deliver a long term difference in this area.”
David Haas, Highland Council’s Inverness city area manager, said: “It is an opportunity for the business community to work with us on an even closer level to ensure that we have the highest standard of amenity for all visitors to the city centre.”
Controversial High Street benches
In the past two years, the benches at the top of Inverness High Street have been removed and reinstated amid divided opinions.
The four benches in front of McDonald’s were removed in 2016 for a trial two-month period to combat anti-social behaviour and brought back after a social media clamour in their favour by the public.
At the time Inverness Chamber of Commerce chairman Stewart Nicol said he approved of the move, despite fearing it would move the problem elsewhere.
He said: “I think on balance it’s a difficult decision with lots of factors at play, and I think that it is a good decision to reinstate something of presence in the High Street.”
Last year, two of the benches were moved to another part of the High Street to allow the café Buonissimo to put out a few of their own tables and chairs.