Norwich Market stallholders fearful of aggressive yobs

Tents have once again been pitched in the Memorial Gardens between the covered market and City Hall.

Stallholders had reported that around 20 people gathered near four tents in the grassy area each day, drinking alcohol and acting "aggressively".

One market trader, who was too frightened to be named, said: "We've seen loads of fights up there and it is very intimidating.

Several tents have been pitched in Memorial Gardens ahead of Remembrance Sunday (Image: Submitted) "October half-term is normally our best week before Christmas but it was dominated by violence, aggression, fighting and screaming. 

"It is massively affecting business and it is making a mockery of the Memorial Gardens."

Another added: "It's Remembrance Sunday this weekend. 

"There will be a lot of ex-military outside City Hall and I don't think they will put up with people screaming and shouting all morning."

The tents are spread out across the Memorial Gardens (Image: Newsquest) A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police explained that pitching a tent on public land is not a criminal offence and the landowner can repossess the land using common law powers.

She said: "Police may become involved if there is evidence of criminal activity.

"This was the case on Wednesday, when one occupant of the tents at the Memorial Gardens was handed a Community Protection Notice (CPN) for anti-social behaviour.

"This notice prohibits, among other things, her being in the memorial gardens for 12 months."

A dispersal order will be in place for the whole of the city centre from 7am on November 8 until 7am on November 10.

Dirty sleeping bags and duvets were seen scattered along the railings (Image: Newsquest) This gives police officers powers to hand out direction-to-leave notices to anyone acting in an anti-social manner if they have, or are likely to, contribute to the "harassment, alarm or distress" of members of the public, and they cannot return within 48 hours.

READ MORE: Stallholders fearful of yobs causing trouble at Norwich Market

She added: "This order was not in response to the tents - it was already in place as part of policing the city’s night-time economy at the weekends.

"We continue to maintain our patrols in the area and work with partners, including the council, to monitor the situation."

A spokesman for Norwich City Council added: "We are working with our partners and the Police to try and resolve this as quickly as possible."