London Assembly Member Susan Hall joined Cllr Paul Swaddle, talking to shopkeepers on Lancaster Gate's Queensway this weekend.
Cllr Swaddle explains
"So we're down here on Queensway and Susan and I have been chatting to the shopkeepers and we're finding some terrible stories of petty theft and even aggressive begging. Susan, how have you found it? What do you think?"
Susan says
Well, it's shoplifting that really worries me. So many businesses are in such a dire strait anyway, and to have lots of their goods just stolen from in front of them is so bad.
Sadiq Khan is not investing in the Metropolitan Police as he should do.
We've been going up and down here all morning.
We haven't seen any officers at all. And of course, if you've got officers patrolling, that puts people off, causing antisocial behaviour. We need more money in the Metropolitan Police. I really feel for people around here. They cannot cope with this constant bad behaviour from beggars, from shoplifters. It needs to be dealt with."
Paul concludes,
"And that's why we're running a campaign to get a public space protection order in place across Lancaster Gate and Bayswater wards to ensure there is better enforcement and that the council and the mayor are forced to take action."
