THE new bus shelter at the Mitchell Street end of Hargreaves Mall has further concentrated the area’s anti-social problems in one place, a business owner says.
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The City of Greater Bendigo built the structure last year using funding from Public Transport Victoria in the hope of encouraging more people to use public transport.
But one business owner says large gatherings in the shelter often result in fights, leaving patrons feeling intimidated and scared.
Fresh Mint owner Jenny Dhillon said an incident occurred almost daily, with police and ambulances regularly called to the area.
She said the shelter acted as a magnet for anti-social behaviour.
“Customers get scared by what’s happening over there,” she said.
“You have the police called often, and sometimes an ambulance is needed after a fight.”
The area was quickly vacated last week when a number of youths were involved in a prolonged fight.
Shelter’s design in contrast to reality
The Hargreaves Mall bus shelter, completed in March last year, was designed to “make public transport an even more attractive option”, but business owners and passers-by fear it has done the opposite.
Ms Dhillon, who has run Fresh Mint for more than two years, said the issues in front of her business had become far worse since the shelter was installed.
“It wasn’t that bad before the bus stop was there, but now there are always problems,” she said.
“It’s having a bad effect on our shop.
“The mess left at the end of the day is always bad. They will even run in and steal drinks from our fridge.”
A mess of fast food containers, cigarette butts, discarded food and other rubbish was left at the spot on Wednesday evening.
Graffiti is also scrawled across some of the structure.
A staff member at Toppers cafe, which faces the bus shelter, said the young people who usually occupy the area were not just centred at the Mitchell Street end.
“They do move around a bit, so they aren’t always in front of our shop,” she said.
“The problem is that we seem to need police here constantly, rather than just every now and then.
“It was good when the police van was here all the time.”
At least two incidents have required police attendance at the bus shelter in the last two weeks.
On December 22, police used pepper spray to break up a fight between a man and a teenager. The man was in a synthetic cannabis-induced psychosis.
A week later, during the busy Boxing Day sales period, a group of youths were involved in a fight which spilled onto Mitchell Street, with scooters and skateboards used as weapons.
The fight then continued at the other end of the mall when one antagonist attacked another with an outdoor chair.
City of Greater Bendigo acting director health and wellbeing Andy Walker said the council was working with relevant agencies to improve Hargreaves Mall for all.
“The City of Greater Bendigo is aware that the interchange has been the location of some anti-social behaviour and has been working with Victoria Police and traders to try to reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviour and to keep the interchange clean,” he said.
“We want the Bendigo CBD to be a vibrant, safe and welcoming place for everybody, where traders and people are happy.
“The city contributes to this by facilitating events in the Bendigo CBD, and working with support agencies, traders and Victoria Police on an ongoing basis.
“A whole of community approach is required to make sure our public spaces are welcoming and safe for everyone.”