Didcot: Police ‘ban’ youths from Orchard Centre shops

Thame Valley police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber highlighted the activities of neighbourhood police officers who intervened at the shopping centre.

South and Vale officers for Thames Valley Police stated at the end of March: “We’ve issued banning letters to a number of young people involved in antisocial behaviour within stores.

“Please keep reporting this to us, retail spaces should be enjoyable for everyone – not an obstacle course.”

A police banning letter bans an individual from entering specific premises, often shops, for a set period – usually six to 12 months.

The banning letters are often served to combat shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, or threats. It is not known which shops were affected.

Mocky Khan (Image: Oxford Mail)

South Oxfordshire district councillor Mocky Khan, who represents Didcot South and is a former town mayor, has now welcomed police issuing the banning letters.

He said: “It’s very important that our shop staff feel safe, so when there is antisocial behaviour in the Orchard Centre security staff and police do need to take appropriate action.

“Some young people are hanging around the shopping centre and at fast food restaurants because they feel like they don’t have anything else to do.

“The Edmonds Park sports pavilion has been improved and we need to continue with that kind of investment in facilities which young people can use.

“If young people are congregating, or are in a group, that shouldn’t be a concern but if antisocial behaviour is happening in shops then I back police taking appropriate action.”

The Orchard Centre in Didcot (Image: Oxford Mail)

Mr Khan said he wanted independent shops in Broadway to thrive, as well as chain stores in the Orchard Centre.

He added: “I want to see any empty units at the Orchard Centre to be filled, and for the Broadway to be busy too – they are both employing local people.”

The councillor said he was pleased that a parking issue affecting shoppers at the Orchard Centre has now been resolved.

Last year, the centre announced it would be introducing parking charges for anyone using the car park after 7pm Monday to Saturday and any time on Sundays, after two free hours, at the end of August.

Olly Glover, MP for Didcot and Wantage, had discussions with the centre’s parking management following “confusion” raised by customers over the new charges and payment arrangements.

The shopping centre then agreed to reverse the introduction of the evening charges on the 875-space car park, which is controlled by an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera.

The Orchard Centre doubled in size in 2018 in a £50m expansion, which added more than 20 new shops including an M&S foodhall and clothing brand TK Maxx.

Last year, Mountain Warehouse moved to a larger retail premises and the centre welcomed the arrival of Hotel Chocolat.

Cardzone featuring Thornton’s closed in January.