YEP Says: No city should be a '˜no-go' area for its residents

All cities have their challenges - and anti-social behaviour caused by binge drinking has to be among the most prevalent.

Leeds city centre and its broader network of communities have had more than their fair share of issues and, let’s face it, there’s no easy way of addressing them.

Residents in some areas go so far as suggesting that their neighbourhoods have become virtual ‘no-go zones’ at certain times of the day and night.

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This is simply not acceptable – and responsibility for tackling this lies in many quarters.

Our special reports on pages four and five today describes the dreadful impact of drink-fuelled nuisance behaviour on local people: one elderly lady speaks of her fear of venturing out to the shops for worry of what she might be confronted with.

But residents and traders in partnership with local authorities are fighting back in a bid to reclaim their streets.

The acronyms will hardly get the pulse racing (we’ll let you read them in our report) but initiatives such as injunctions, capping the number of premises selling alcohol and banning drinking alcohol in public places are a start.

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Recent work in Harehills Lane, where similar problems have been blamed for a 50 per cent slump in trade for many businesses, has been credited with helping to turn the situation around somewhat.

A zero tolerance approach is the only way forward – because no area of our city should become a ‘no-go’ for its residents.

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