Anti-social behaviour in Hammersmith & Fulham has angered residents and caused them to complain.
Large groups have been gathering along the riverside and sitting on private walls in Bishop’s Park and Fulham Reach, upsetting inhabitants who have accused them of smoking cannabis and urinating publicly.
Security patrols have been installed along the river walkway but the area has remained busy since the coronavirus restrictions easing and the weather warming.
Councillor Amanda Lloyd-Harris represents the Palace Riverside Ward on Hammersmith & Fulham Council and has lived in Fulham for 25 years.
She said: “People are frightened, in some cases, to go out.
“People are allowed out there if they use the river walk and it’s public, so they should be able to do that.
“But it’s not acceptable to be drinking in these areas in public, or urinating in front of residents.”
The river path is a public area, however there are still some restrictions in place, such as a ban on jogging and cycling along the path from 10am-3pm.
There are fears that these problems will escalate with the coming summer and the end of lockdown.
Lloyd-Harris believes that there needs to be a distinction made between anti-social behaviour and people using the river path for exercise and enjoying their neighbourhood.
She also admitted that the signage can be confusing and so it can be difficult for residents to express their concerns or understand what is permitted.
The council have put in place a new enforcement team to patrol along the river path, yet for Councillor Lloyd-Harris there needs to be more facilities for bored youths.
She also drew attention to the bigger problems of education and communication between different generations in the community.
She said: “These issues are nothing new, I think, just more visible.
“But just because there’s a group of young people, doesn’t mean they’re doing anything wrong. We don’t start pigeonholing people.
“When I was a child, my father would say we’ll find something to do.
“I’m sure there is a way of connecting us with groups in the community, so they can engage and see what the impact is.
“Some of them may not have older relatives or may not have an extended family, they may not actually understand this because they have no experience with it.”
Featured image credit: George Rex via Flickr through CC BY-SA 2.0 license
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These are just basic manners how people behave in public area. I think police should be strict enough to take them away if they urinates or smoking cannabis in front of residents. As I personally can’t tolerate that smell of cannabis and I feel suffocated. Your fun is not to irritate people but to enjoy weather in a good way.
The signs up about cycling and running are ridiculous – they say please avoid between 10am and 3pm. No-one is taking any notice of them. It is dangerous
They are mostly white middle class, middle aged people. It’s all lies about the youth and feeling unsafe.
Discrimination at it’s best. White rich privilege strikes again.
I live along the river and most cannabis smokers are white middle class and also the drinkers are white middle class , middle aged snobs.
Yes we have youths enjoying themselves along the beautiful river thames and so they should, in a safe manner. This is again white stuck up middle class bs.
So because most people’s properties are well over a million pounds basically they don’t want youths or working class people there but it’s ok for them(middle classes) to drink ,smoke and be in large groups with their brats running around but because it’s the hooray Henry brigade.
All these “security” people they don’t around the place never tell anyone to stop what they are doing, either because they are scared of confrontation or in many cases because they can’t speak English. It’s been the same all over lockdown when they should be telling people they can’t run or cycle, or they are walking on the wrong side – into a crowd coming the other direction. The security people either play with their phones most of the day, or just make a vague “No” in the general direction of what they are paid to be stopping. They are almost always ignored, and they leave it at that.
With reference to “Anti-social behaviour in Hammersmith and Fulham angers residents”
07 April 2021 therefore, where it is stated that:
“The Council have put in place a new enforcement
team “.
Therefore, where Richmond Council provided
security patrols on the toe path on their side of
The river to allay people’s concerns over safety
during the winter months as a result of
Hammersmith bridge being out of action
Therefore, did Hammersmith and Fulham Council
reciprocate the measure along an unlit area on
their side of The river during the winter months?.
It is a huge mistake to close all the public toilets along the river path. You can’t blame people for taking desperate steps when in need. There are people who need to use a toilet more frequently than normal because of diabetes, post operation state, pregnancy. The Riverside Studios, the Plum cafe, the cafe beside River cafe, the pub in crab tree lane all had toilets open to the public before lockdown. If you have a bladder problem you are advised to stay close at home
I’ve spent a lot of time in this area and yes people gather to socialise and in cases they drink and smoke cannabis but I haven’t personally seen anything that would even slightly consider anti social, this seems like a this is ours not theirs post.
beautiful locations are for everyone not just the privileged!!!