A DECISION has been made to close a public space in Ludgershall amidst fears of anti-social behaviour.

At a Ludgershall Town Council meeting on Tuesday, councillors voted to close the Jubilee Garden until at least October.

Speaking after the meeting, mayor of Ludgershall Town Council, Mike Giles, said: “Basically the way I see it, and I think the council does too, is it’s been made a no-go area by the abusers.

“The people who live side by side with the garden are old folks and they are absolutely petrified about coming out of their homes.

“The police are not taking it as seriously as we thought they should. Our people are not being protected and it’s been left as a no-go area, people are frightened.

“We are leaving it closed throughout the school summer holidays, and it will be so until we change the clocks, sometime in October.”

Speaking of the ‘problematic group of youths’ said to be responsible for behaviour such as drug consumption, Cllr Giles added: “Like one of the councillors said, they are like migrating birds - like flies round the muck if you like.Wave them away from one place and they’ll go somewhere else.

“Surely police can see that this is going to be endemic and if they don’t cut it off now, it’s just going to lead to stronger drugs, more consumption and a bigger problem.”

The Town Council has faced similar issues before. The garden was closed in the autumn of 2016 following complaints of youths making noise, driving cars and riding motorbikes in the gardens and general antisocial behaviour.

It was again closed in July 2017, following evidence of drug and alcohol use, damage to the perimeter fence, bins and sundial which had to be removed.