Anti-social behaviour powers are working - jeweller

A city centre jeweller says he has seen a significant improvement in the area since new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour were introduced last April.

Leicester City Council brought in the public spaces protection order (PSPO), giving wardens the power to issue £100 fines for offences, including aggressive begging, street drinking, and the dangerous riding of electric bikes and scooters.

Dominic Gomersall, who runs Lumbers jewellery shop, said businesses reopening and the presence of safety officers were signs the city centre was improving.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said while progress had been made in reducing anti-social behaviour, there was still "work to do".

Soulsby noted there had been a noticeable reduction in anti-social behaviour, but added more work needed to be done.

"Many people felt the level of anti-social behaviour in the city centre was unacceptable," he said.

"The public spaces protection order made a considerable difference, but it became clear we also needed a dedicated team on the ground.

"The electric bikes haven't gone away, rough sleeping hasn't gone away and some anti-social behaviour remains. But it's very much diminished and we're making a difference."

The city council introduced the order in the city centre in April 2025.

The current three-year PSPO applies only to the city centre, but the council is consulting on plans to extend the restrictions to surrounding neighbourhoods.

Lumbers, in High Street, has traded in Leicester since 1881, but had considered an offer to relocate to an out-of-town shopping centre in March 2025 due to concerns over city centre parking and anti-social behaviour.

Eighteen months on, Gomersall said new businesses moving into the city centre showed the PSPO was having a positive impact.

"The headlines are that shops are reopening. We have a huge premises opposite us which has been closed for 10 years," he said.

"It's now been taken on by a business and, in three months, it'll be a beautiful premises that's trading, which is fantastic for us.

"We've got another menswear shop opening on the high street, plus big-name stores coming into Highcross, so there are clear signs of investment.

"That's businesses backing our city centre. There must be improvements for those businesses to want to open here."

Despite praising the work of city wardens, Gomersall said more needed to be done to make the city centre feel less intimidating, such as introducing a ban on wearing balaclavas in the city centre, as seen in nearby Nottingham.

"The balaclavas, certainly for a jeweller, are frightening," he said. "I've had a gun held to my head before and the people responsible were wearing balaclavas. So let's get rid of them."

A new team of public space officers were deployed in Leicester city centre in June to try to tackle anti-social behaviour.

One of the new officers, Ifthkar Majid, said improving perceptions of the city centre would take time.

"I've worked on the front line for the last three and a half years and I've seen small wins, but change doesn't happen overnight," he said.

"We're battling other forces, including social media. Ten positive things can happen in a day, but one video of anti-social behaviour can go viral.

"We're trying to change that perception and show that Leicester is a safe city."

Fellow officer Scott White said the team was already building strong relationships with people on the streets.

"The trust we've built with some street-life individuals is quite strong," he said. "We've had people come up to us and hand over knives, which we've then taken to the police.

"Getting people to work with us and trust us is a massive win."

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.