A recent leaflet campaign in the area has brought to mind the events of Hot Fuzz. A mysterious group, so mysterious that they will not sign their name to the leaflet (leaflet may be rather kind. It was an A5 sheet of paper, obviously torn from a larger sheet!). Their demands are simple: Ban the people who congregate in the park with drink and dogs.

Firstly, I should point out that I agree with their aims. I too find these people unsightly and slightly intimidating. However, if given a choice between banning them and solving the problem rather than the symptoms, then surely it is better to find out why they spend their days getting drunk and do something about it? Otherwise it’s like slapping a bandage on a chest wound – you’ve stopped blood making a mess of the floor but the problem is still there. I would point to the lack of anything resembling inspiring work in the area (man does not live by a minimum wage shelf-stacking post in a supermarket alone) and the curious imbalance that leaves people in minimum wage jobs worse off than benefit claimants.

There is also a legal problem. How will they phrase the order? Ban people from congregating? You just banned all street theatre, wedding photographs, band performances, and most festivals. Ban alcohol consumption in the area? Might work but you’re more likely to move the problem elsewhere, which won’t help anyone in the long term.

Before anyone accuses me of not providing an alternate solution, I have plenty. First off, stop moving people into the area if this is still being done. For years people with social or mental problems were moved to this town and placed in housing association accommodation. We now have a situation where there are not enough jobs for the original residents, let alone any new ones. Either offer huge tax breaks for companies setting up out here (rather than in South Wales) or start offering bursaries to enable people to leave in search of work. Deal with social problems at source, rather than by measures that might have been lifted straight from tabloids. Take back the public spaces peacefully – if large numbers of people who aren’t “unsightly” (an interesting choice of word by the anonymous leaflet writer. Personally I find Daily Wail-reading curtain twitchers even more unsightly) congregate there then the drinkers will swiftly move on, as I suspect they don’t like being disturbed. They will not attack you if outnumbered. Start using the bandstand for rehearsals, start using the benches and grassland for picnics. The “unsightly” people only congregate there because the rest of us have abandoned it!