Plan to clamp down on Durham city centre anti-social behaviour

Traders in and around Durham's Market Hall believe anti-social behaviour is putting off potential customers

Proposals have been drawn up to curb anti-social behaviour in Durham city centre.

Councillors will consider a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in an attempt to crack down on issues such as nuisance begging and outdoor drinking.

In 2023, dozens of local businesses and market traders backed a call to introduce an order for the city centre.

Those plans were withdrawn, but new proposals have been developed in partnership with the police.

If agreed, a public consultation is set to take place between May and June.

Up to 80 traders in Durham city centre backed a call to ban nuisance begging and anti-social behaviour in 2023, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They cited a "direct and adverse effect" that incidents were having on trade.

A letter, signed by the traders on behalf of Durham Markets Company, said nuisance begging in the Market Place was disruptive to trade and open air drinking, which they believed was fuelled by drugs, was causing people to shop elsewhere.

The county council - which is led through a coalition - previously considered imposing a PSPO to curb people begging in a threatening or intimidating way, but agreed to withdraw the plans in February 2023.

A public consultation on the practice, which includes following people or begging near a cash machine or bus stop, provided a mixed response as to whether it was needed, as just under 60% "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that a PSPO would be an effective way to control aggressive begging.

John Shuttleworth, Independent, and the council's cabinet member for community safety, said: "When we looked at a PSPO to control aggressive begging two years ago there was not enough evidence to support making an order. However, we said at the time we would continue to monitor the situation.

"Durham Constabulary has now put forward information and we have listened and officers have brought forward new proposals."

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