Youth Problems in Portobello...

Genbukan · Post by **Genbukan** » 27 Feb 2005, 02:12

Hello, I really hate to have my first post here being one that some may dismiss as a moaning one but I feel I have a valid concern which I want to share.

It's come to my attention that, more and more, Portobello has become somewhat of a youth ghetto with lots of teenagers hanging around in the evenings. Now, a great many of these are no trouble at all and, I concede, are on the streets because there is very little else for them to do around here.

However, there is definitely a more troublesome element, those who are abusive, threatening and malicious in nature. My partner, our young son and I live in a quiet lane at the Joppa end of Portobello. Actually, we WISH it were quiet because it regularly becomes a haunt for youths.

In the past they've gathered in fairly large numbers to drink and smoke out of sight of main roads and the police (the evidence was plain to see by the broken bottles they left discarded) but now it has mostly become a thoroughfare for them, a short cut that they use to get from the high street to the promenade.

They, like everyone else have a right to travel down the lane, but that's not enough for them. No, they have to ring the doorbell, bang on or throw things at the windows and kick the door on their way past, scaring our young son and making my partner very upset. Unsurprisingly if you say anything to them you get nothing but obscene abuse back. Calling the police is of little help either as they are always far too slow to respond. By the time an officer arrives, they've long gone.

What kind of brainless idiots think itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s fun to frighten a wee boy anyway???

The garages further up the lane have been vandalised and we've even witnessed several of them having a go at the locks. More recently work has been happening at the top end of the lane and workmen had set up a portaloo for them to use throughout the day. Almost without fail at some point in the evening we'd hear a crash as youths would push it over.

The final straw came this afternoon though when, arriving back home, we were shocked to find a fire engine backing into the lane. Turning the corner we saw that not only had portaloo been pushed over but had been set on fire too. It was quite a blaze and flames were licking up the fronts of some of the garages. Had it taken hold the fire would have quickly worked its way down the row of garages - right to where we live!!! It was only the vigilant action of some unknown person who called the fire brigade, and their subsequent speedy response that averted what could have been a much worse situation.

Enough is enough I say. I'm sick and tired of my partner and son jumping at every sound made in the lane each evening, and now this fire has made them doubly nervous. I'm not one of these people who just want to shout "something must be done" and sit back and expect action. No, I'm willing to do something...but what??? What can you do when you feel so powerless?

Portobello is a nice place to live, it very much has the potential to be a great little community, but troublesome youth issues are really dragging it down and it seems like the yobs, wherever they're from (I don't believe that all of them are Portobello youths either) are going to keep it up as long as Portobello is viewed as a "soft target".

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 27 Feb 2005, 05:02

Genbukan, you have made an excellent first post on a subject that concerns many of us who form the community that is Portobello. I don't have an answer to your problem. However, I will say that in my more than 40 years of living here this type of trouble visits now and again but tends to blow over. I hope this happens very quickly for you and yours.

DG · Post by DG » 27 Feb 2005, 10:47

Welcome to the forum, Genbuken. Really sorry to hear about your difficulties in your area. It's terriblt to hear of the effect this is having on your family - however, understandable the amount of distress. I agree that the youth crime / problems are unacceptable here now. I was recently asked what it is like living in Portobello. I found myself initially describing the great community feeling here and sense of community spirit from most people living in and caring about Porty. I then went on to moan about the youth issues and how it does not feel safe or pleasant to be walking around the streets and particularly the Prom at night, etc, etc. I had to then catch myself and said 'but it's great really!'.

I, too do not know the answer. Perhaps a visit to the police station to reinforce your concerns. Another thing may be to keep a log of the details of the incidents, calls to police, response times and anything else relevant. We had to do this last year for a situation that is now resolved (well, for now!). It's extremely tedious but helps support your case when bringing this to the attention of those concerned.

Good luck with it all

DG

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 27 Feb 2005, 10:56

Firstly, welcome to the forum. As Porty says, youth disturbances feature more heavily than we would like on this forum. I sympathise with your problems and I hope I can offer some advice.

1. Phone the Police on every occasion there is a disturbance. OK, so it's a Grade 4 call and it's highly unlikely they will get there in time but the important thing here is that the incident is logged. If you can, persuade a neighbour to phone as well to corroborate your complaint.

2. Diary these events and persuade your neighbours to keep diaries as well.

3. Is there a neighbourhood watch scheme in your street? If not, don't wait for someone else to form one. Do it yourself, now while you have the impetus. Hold a meeting. Be positive about what you CAN achieve by working together.

4. Make a point of coming along to the next Portobello Neighbourhood Watch Association (Portywatch) meeting on Tuesday 8th March at 6.30 pm upstairs in the Portobello Library. Portywatch is an umbrella group for the many NW schemes in the area. We aim to share information and ideas, learn from each others' experiences and assist people like yourself to form their own NW groups. See you there I hope?

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 27 Feb 2005, 11:34

Gen, seems like yesterday was some sort of turning point for you and you feel motivated to take some serious action to try to put a stop to these yobs who are ruining your peace.

Invaluable advice from Bob I think.

I know it's no consolation, but unfortunately this problem is ubiquitous

Good luck with it

Gemini · Post by **Gemini** » 27 Feb 2005, 14:01

http://www.youthlink.co.uk/parliamentar ... lbehaviour(

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 27 Feb 2005, 17:58

I know that normally I'm quite pro-youth on this forum but I must admit that recently I've been really fed up with them too. Last night in particular I was in the house on my own (doesn't happen very often!) and was actually getting quite edgy about the goings on outside the door. There were about 30 kids running back and forwards over the road, shouting, throwing things, banging on the bus shelter and then constantly ringing my intercom buzzer and shouting 'F off' when I answered it. I actually found myself putting the chain on the door and putting the alarm on. I agree with Porty that this does happen from time to time in phases and then seems to blow over and they move on somewhere else but it's no consolation when you're in the thick of it. I don't know what the answer is though

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 27 Feb 2005, 18:16

Epykat - This was probably the same bunch that congregated in the swing park last night - and they weren't playing on the swings!

Like Porty says, this kind of thing does blow over, but I must add that this particular cycle seems to be more pronounced!

Mimpty · Post by **Mimpty** » 28 Feb 2005, 14:28

Now that the police station is being manned 24 hours a day, might not the police be able to respond a little faster?

Sorry you're having problems Gen. and welcome.

Going slightly off topic, a lady at my bus stop the other week said that there are apparently quite a few people sleeping rough on the Prom - is this true?

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 28 Feb 2005, 18:34

I've heard that the problems at the Joppa end are getting worse; St Philip's is catching a lot of it, with really disturbing and frightening things going on - youths sneaking inot the building then jumping out in gangs at people working there alone, climbing on the roof, etc (not the church, the hall, I should add!) and generally causing a nuisance and a lot of fear. I'd agree with Bob, Genbukan, about calling the police to have every single incident logged. We had really bad problems in the street next to ours a while ago, although it's calmed down now.
Bellybabe

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 01 Mar 2005, 00:11

Mimpty wrote:Going slightly off topic, a lady at my bus stop the other week said that there are apparently quite a few people sleeping rough on the Prom - is this true?

Mimpty, its probably just the "PCats Sleep Rough on the Prom" fundraiser. I believe they opted for that, rather than the "PCats Join the Queue at the Post Office" fundraiser.

Also, you have no idea how pis sed off I am that you have your own Bus Stop. Are you sleeping with a Councillor?

Gemini · Post by **Gemini** » 01 Mar 2005, 07:53

porty wrote>Mimpty, its probably just the "PCats Sleep Rough on the Prom" fundraiser. I believe they opted for that, rather than the "PCats Join the Queue at the Post Office" fundraiser. end quote>

Mimpty · Post by **Mimpty** » 01 Mar 2005, 14:20

[quote="Porty
Also, you have no idea how pis sed off I am that you have your own Bus Stop. Are you sleeping with a Councillor?[/quote]

Are you implying I sell my favours for bus stops?

The tolerance zone is on another thread, my friend!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 01 Mar 2005, 15:45

Mimpty wrote: Are you implying I sell my favours for bus stops? The tolerance zone is on another thread, my friend!

Must confess i never thought of it from that perspective. Wonder how much it is for one of those ones that all the buses stop at?

Mimpty · Post by **Mimpty** » 01 Mar 2005, 19:33

[quote="Porty Wonder how much it is for one of those ones that all the buses stop at?

[/quote]

You know what they say..."If you have to ask, you can't afford it!"

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 06 Mar 2005, 20:37

To get back to Genbukan's first post - any progress, G?

I'm told that two polis were loitering with intent at top of Bellfield Street last night about 7.15 and I'd seen two heading that way an hour earlier, so I'm guessing they might have been making their presence felt???

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 08 Mar 2005, 20:55

There were two policemen and a policewoman escorting a lad of about 13 or 14 around all the bushes from outside Phoenix House to past the Surgery about 5pm last night. In and out of the buckets and under cars too. Do you think he'd lost his cat?

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 08 Mar 2005, 22:47

Did anyone make it along to the Neighbourhood Watch meething this evening in the library?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 08 Mar 2005, 22:52

Yep, there was me, Brian, a local cop and three others. Where were the rest of you? I still had time to make the offy and get back to catch most of the Man U game. How was the takeaway Brian?

Jamesie · Post by **Jamesie** » 08 Mar 2005, 23:09

Bob Jefferson wrote:Yep, there was me, Brian, a local cop and three others. Where were the rest of you? I still had time to make the offy and get back to catch most of the Man U game. How was the takeaway Brian?

I'm really annoyed - only got back in after seven from work. Any plans to reschedule?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 08 Mar 2005, 23:25

Erm, no. We had the meeting. Library closes at 8pm. But if you want to talk about the problem in your street give me a call or pm me and we can meet up.

teddygirl · Post by **teddygirl** » 08 Mar 2005, 23:38

You didn't miss much in the Man U game anyway. The Chelsea v Barca game was much better.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 19 Mar 2005, 21:40

last night in our street there was a large crowd of youths - luckily I was indoors! they were brandishing bits of wood (i presume from the skip outside the flat getting renovated at the mo) bit scary, even from indoors.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 20 Mar 2005, 10:19

Wonder if they were the same bunch that had congregated in Brighton Park on Friday night Sandra? Some of the young girls provided a bit of impromptu street theatre by running around topless.
The police were very helpful on the phone and said they'd send out a couple of officers