The main problem in St James's Street is lack of policing. It also appears that on the odd occasion when there is a police presence very little action is taken.

Anti-social behaviour is nothing new but it will only be beaten by tough action.

Surprising as it may seem, there were similar problems many years ago but they didn't last very long. The police saw to that.

But over the past few years successive senior police officers have adopted a namby-pamby attitude which will get them nowhere.

Chief Inspector Lisa Pearcey said: "The police cannot be the only solution to these problems." She then went on to blame traders for selling alcohol to under-age youths or known alcoholics.

Well, Chief Inspector, if you know that these wicked traders are selling to underage people, why don't you take action against them?

I was a beat officer working St James's Street for many years and as soon as complaints were received by the chief constable, orders were given that action must be taken - and it was.

Mind you, there weren't often many complaints as we did the job properly in the first place.

We didn't go around bleating that it was someone else's problem, we just got on with it, mainly because we had pride.

-David Rowland, Telscombe Cliffs