A group of Jull Street business owners are calling on the City of Armadale to start a security service to curb antisocial behaviour which is driving people away from the CBD.
Examiner Newspapers met with businesses in the Jull Street Mall on Monday to discuss their concerns about antisocial behaviour, police presence and the lost potential of the mall.
They said a brawl on February 22, which ended in the stabbing of a 29-year-old outside the shopping centre, was the tip of the iceberg and staff and customers experienced antisocial behaviour every day.
Armadale Newsagency owner Allan Ju said thieves regularly stole drinks and last month a teenager threw a drink in his store damaging several books and magazines.
Subway manager Carol Bertei said over the past year businesses had been shutting earlier making it harder to get customers.
“We just have problems with nobody around at night because they’re too scared to come into Armadale,” she said.
“At night time where we used to be really busy there’s nothing open and no one around.”
Nawty Secrets owner Shawn Kelly said over the past three weeks police had dropped their presence in the mall.
“For the last two years our police department have had this great team that have been working locally on minimal hours doing a fantastic job and now they’ve disappeared,” he said.
“We’ve starting to see street drinking and riff raff coming back in…they have to clean it up so we can get business.”
Dome owner Graeme Hill said the mall had huge potential and called on the city to help unlock it with a security patrol.
Member for Armadale Tony Buti said many businesses were willing to pay extra on their rates to get the service.
Dr Buti wrote to the city in September last year requesting the security service but it was declined.
Armadale mayor Henry Zelones said it was disappointing to hear antisocial behaviour had increased as it was damaging to the city centre’s reputation.
Mr Zelones said the city was helping stem antisocial behaviour by working with police and through its city centre activation strategy.
He said in 2014 businesses rejected a security patrol because of the additional cost it would add to their rates.
Mr Zelones said the city would need a strong indication from businesses it was now wanted before it would be reconsidered.
South East Policing District Superintendent Brad Sorrell said community perception was important to them and they would increase patrols in the mall.
“We’ve met with the mayor on strategies and…we’ll listen to community concern and we will increase our visible presence in the Jull Street Mall,” he said.
“Perception can be reality, if that’s what people are thinking then that’s what we have to respond to and that’s what we will respond to.”
He said crime numbers were improving in Armadale.
