Circle of seating will be replaced

Circular seating in Hall Place known as an epicentre of anti-social behaviour in Spalding is to be replaced.

However the move has already been criticised amid claims it won’t solve the area’s problems.
The issue was discussed extensively at last week’s meeting of the Spalding Town Forum where Shop Watch representative Stuart Brotherton said ‘95 per cent’ of people involved in crime in that area had drug and alcohol issues.
It was also a key part of Coun Gary Taylor’s update on the recent consultation about proposed improvements to parts of Spalding Town Centre.
“There was some support to retain some seating in Hall Place, particularly for those less mobile, but the main view was the seating is not creating the environment that the public are inclined to use,” Coun Taylor said.
“There’s some seating but not a circle.
“We need to remove the circle and those who do not treat that part of Spalding with respect.
“That’s the feedback we’ve taken forward.”
Spalding and District Civic Society’s David Jones said it was ‘sad’ the town was being shaped by ‘miscreants’ while the group’s chairman John Bland said it would object to the proposal.
“Until you deal with the anti-social behaviour there will be problems,” he said.
“I think a lot of people will regret taking that seating circle away.
“You will lose that focus for events. That’s what it was designed for.
“This council for many years has failed to use that circle for the way it was intended.”
Coun Taylor responded that some of the £20m a year ‘Levelling Up’ funding could be used for a replacement in the future.
Mr Brotherton said he’d contacted recently-sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman on the issue of anti-social behaviour.
“I urge the courts to look at how they tackle and deal with these people that have entrenched and deep reaching drug and alcohol issues,” he said. “That’s how you beat shop theft.”
l Of the other proposals for Spalding, Coun Taylor said responses to the plans to remodel the riverside saw ‘broad support’ while the proposals for Red Lion Street were ‘more mixed’.
He did not elaborate further nor give any details on the number of responses.
“Now the feedback has completed we’ll work on the price and the budgets with contractors,” he said.