West Leeds Dispatch readers have voted overwhelmingly to say that benches outside William Hill in Armley Town Street should STAY.
73% of people who took part in our poll earlier this week said the benches should stay, despite police wanting to remove them. They claim the benches act as a magnet to street drinkers and anti-social behaviour. 27% of readers backed the police.
More than 150 people took part in the poll, which also sparked debate across a couple of Facebook groups.
Comments included:
“It’s not the fault of the benches! It’s the fault of the drunken people! Why not remove them?! Maybe we should have a ‘sit in’ where normal people sit on the bench for an hour or two whenever they’re down Town Street. Try to reclaim them.”
And:
“Yup let’s face it the area around them is grim and you daredn’t sit there anyway.”
Last night there was reports of a man who had allegedly been assaulted by one of the street drinkers.
Police say the consultation into the benches is ongoing.
Comments about the benches can be e-mailed to alltogetherarmley@gmail.com or people can call into the new police contact point in Armley Post Office on Wednesdays 10am-11am to speak to local officers.
It’seems a catch 22 situation – the drunks sit on the benches – so remove em – someone does a poll and the seats are put back – people complaining about the drunks sitting on the seats – so another poll ditto dit to to infinity and back
I think some are arguing that the way forward is to sort out the problems with the drunks and the root causes of their issues rather than the benches they sit on. Are the benches the real issue here?