Park gate closure times revised

PLANS to shut an entrance to a park at 6pm to discourage rowdy youths gathering there were changed when people complained it was being closed too early.

Rushmoor Borough Council announced The Grove gates to the George V Playing Fields would close at 6pm to curb antisocial behaviour during the summer.

Leaders claim they were acting in accordance with residents’ wishes, but they were forced to extend the closing time until 9pm at weekends to keep other users happy.

Last summer similar measures were introduced during the warm weather when young people congregating there disturbed residents living nearby and vandalised the pond area.

John Edwards¸ the council’s director of environmental services, said the 6pm closing time was introduced following a meeting last week with some of the people living around the park.

As a result of further feedback this week the restrictions were revised to come into operation on Friday and Saturday nights at 9pm.

He said: “The last thing we want is for residents not to be able to use the park.

“We responded to residents’ demands. Then we had more comments and we altered them. We are trying to do all we can to help.”

There are other entrances to the park along Sycamore and Canterbury Road.

Mr Edwards said the main reason for closing the gates in The Grove was because the youths tended to gather around that area near the pond.

He said the council was working closely with the police on trying to stop antisocial behaviour there.

He added: “We want to try other things before resorting to a dispersal order. They do work in areas where they are applied but the problem with this particular one is that they could just move on somewhere else.”

He also said parents themselves needed to play a greater role.

Farnborough resident Keith Parkins, was one of those to complain when the notice outlining the initial closing time of 6pm went up.

He said it was acceptable to close the park when it got dark but not during daylight hours.

He said: “Denying local residents the use of their park does not stop antisocial behaviour. Meanwhile, the yobs who are making it a no-go area will continue to do so.”

He said the police and council should clamp down on the culprits by introducing a dispersal order or exclusion zone to preventing them hanging around in large groups.

People in the park on Monday said they doubted closing the Grove gates earlier would prevent youths gathering there.

They say they could squeeze through the railings and gaps as well as walking round to other entrances along Sycamore Road and Canterbury Road.

William Franklin said he has visited the park to walk his dog for years.

He said: “The teenagers will still come in. Shutting the gates does nothing to stop them. All it does is stop people like me.

“Dealing with them in this way is like calling the fire brigade out after a place has burnt down.”

Neighbours living in The Grove said young people tended to drink and congregate in the park on Friday nights.

Cathy Bonthuys said they recently woke at 1am one night to discover two lads climbing on scaffolding at their house.

Another neighbour said she thought the closure was a good idea.

She said: “I agree with it in principle. I think there is a problem in summer but I do think that 6pm is too early.”

Source: Farnborough News & Mail

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