Hundreds of anti-social behaviour complaints made in Ramsgate’s Central Ward

Ramsgate town Photo Brian Whitehead

Anti-social behaviour in Ramsgate’s Central Harbour ward – which includes the seafront, town centre, Ellington Park and Warre Rec -resulted in 675 complaints to police between October 2019 and October 2020.

Despite lockdown and various covid restrictions being in place across the period police were called on numerous occasions to a mixture of “youth related offending and disorder caused by a cohort of rough sleepers.”

Kent Police say the ward has one of the largest concentrations of anti-social behaviour in Thanet.

The night-time economy with regard to pubs and clubs also plays a part when hospitality is open. Alcohol is the key factor across all elements. In order to demonstrate please find below

Police statistics for ASB calls to the ward from Oct 2019 to Oct 2020:

Oct 2019 – 51 calls

Nov 2019 – 31 calls

Dec 2019 – 35 calls

Jan 2020 – 41 calls

Feb 2020 – 39 calls

Mar 2020 – 40 calls

Apr 2020 – 61 calls

May 2020 – 72 calls

June 2020 – 73 calls

Aug 2020 – 90 calls

Sept 2020 – 71 calls

Oct 2020 – 71 calls

In an objection to a premises licence application for Friends Fish Bar in King Street – which has not been granted by Thanet council – Kent Police said: “The coronavirus pandemic saw much of 2020 in a national lockdown with subsequent local closures. However, the demand upon police in relation to ASB remained high with an increase toward the end of the year.

“Police have taken numerous measures to ‘crack down’ on the behaviour from increased patrolling through to the use of dispersal orders and civil injunctions. Our partners from youth services are also engaged in outreach and diversionary tactics in the area.”

Police say one of the ward’s hotspot trouble areas in Boundary Park, stating: “Boundary Park is a hotspot for youth related ASB. It is a congregation area.”

In November, despite the country being in yet another lockdown, police were forced to issue multiple dispersal orders to troublemakers in Ramsgate in response to a number of reports of the misuse of alcohol, drug taking and criminal damage in the town.

The order also followed numerous complaints from residents and traders about fighting, drug taking, shouting and intimidation of passers-by.

The Isle of Thanet news also revealed how one resident said they were ‘grateful’ when the second national Covid lockdown was announced because of the constant trouble.

The woman, who does not want to be named for fear of reprisals, says the issues are caused by a large group of ‘feral’ youths aged 12 to 17 who continually gather in the Queen Street and York Street areas, as well as the multi-storey car park.

Issues with anti-social behaviour and crime from youth ‘gangs’ in the town has been a historic problem dating back at least six years with the youngsters changing but the problems remaining constant.

In 2017, 48 hour dispersal orders, patrols targeting ‘hot spots’ and  making passwords necessary to access free wi-fi were put in place to target the antisocial behaviour.

Regular meetings were arranged by county councillor Karen Constantine between business owners and police to try and combat the problem. These had to be repeated in 2018 with a fresh outbreak of incidents.

In July 2018 Public Space Protection Orders were enacted for Central Harbour and Margate Central wards. PSPOs prohibit congregating as part of a group of 2 or more for such duration as specified, when directed not to do so by an authorised officer; on the basis that the behaviour is causing or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to others in the locality.

In February 2020 stop and searches, knife sweeps and the knock-on effects of a dispersal order brought calm to trouble hotspots in Ramsgate town centre.

An incident in Queen Street involving youths

Increased police visibility followed an attack on a 27-year-old man in Queen Street by a gang of teenagers on January 24.

In January of this year (the latest figures currently available) police responded to 41 anti-social behaviour reports in the ward.

Officers are regularly patrolling the area and anyone affected by nuisance behaviour is encouraged to make a report via the Kent Police website or by calling 101.

18 Comments

  1. I blame the police / courts / parents / non justice system and of course the thick non- educated yobs.
    The empty Laura Ashley store that is on the Wicks and Range / Curry’s site in Margate Road Broadstairs has had 6 of its plate glass windows smashed in the last couple of weeks causing £40,000 worth of damage. Yet nothing has been done about it no one has been caught as yet, I understand that the culprits have been caught on CCTV causing the damage. We need much more strict laws and Bostail type prisons. We have been too soft for too long. The police know where these hotspots are and what times they are likely to trouble. Yet the police wait for the 999 calls. The police should use undercover means to catch the trouble makers and the courts should give out more severe sentences.

  2. No pubs,no night clubs, no police. Where are they? Just imagine what will happen when things return to normal. Think someone needs to answer some questions about what our police are doing. You don’t think there is some budget savings being made to impress the bean counters do you? As I say, just wait till the night time economy is opened up, our police, paramedics, hospital staff will be overehelmed again. Good old Boris, hasn’t got a clue about everyday Britain, why would he, educated at Eton, millionaire, just what we need at a time like this…. not.

  3. Where are the police?
    Ask the tory government.
    They have got rid of 22000 police officers in the past 10 years.

  4. I blame Bill. Not the old Bill.. but Bill who posted above. I reckon it’s probably him doing most of it.

  5. The police are not really interested in stopping anyone from doing criminal acts. I witnessed two kids of about 14 dressed all in black bolting along Northdown Road by St Paul’s Church at 1.40 am and a police van coming towards them. It just drove straight past and carried on as the youths darted across the road behind it. I couldn’t believe they didn’t stop and turn around. Obviously they were running from somewhere at the pace they were going but there was no interest by the officers to investigate it. Maybe they were getting back to the station in time to finish at 2.00 am.

  6. I live near the town centre and hardly ever see a policeman except…..after the first lockdown there were groups of police moving people on. Shame they don’t appear when they’re actually needed

  7. To many blame the police when it is the parents who should take a lot of blame but mainly there is no consequence due to the idiots who think they have the right to do what they want stating human rights. So no consequence just fear of upsetting the minority doesn’t matter about the majority.

  8. Its said that youngsters copy adult behaviours, so having seen every night the weather has been nice, a group of adults gathering outside the clock house in the harbour to drink beer with no social distancing in place, whilst not causing trouble, its a clear up yours to the rules, and no doubt blaming all the youngsters for whats going wrong.

  9. It isn’t just central harbour but Nethercourt/ St Lawrence and Southwood to, I witnessed 6 guys and 1 girl on St Lawrence Church Hall roof yesterday with faces covered, then 4 police cars arrived and gave chase to them. What were they doing and they were in there late teens. Then you have morons on scooters popping wheelies up Nethercourt Hill, St Lawrence High Street and London Road, mire police visible presence needed, not at present good enough.

  10. Parents need to take accountability for their terrible parenting and get their brats under control, rather than leaving them to be societies problem.

  11. I am sorry but i blame the do gooder’s when the kids go to school and do some think wrong and get told off the first thing they say is lawyer and you can not talk to me like that it’s just one big joke

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