Lunatics take over the asylum

I apologise to anyone with mental health problems if they find the title of this post offensive. I am absolutely irate this evening after a visit to Tesco Extra on Great Junction Street. It is not the first time I have visited this store and witnessed a small number of children aged circa 8 - 12 yrs causing havoc. A few months ago someone was riding a bicycle around the store. I asked the security guard why he had not removed the person. apparently he is not allowed to, he can only instruct them to leave and is not allowed to physically remove them from the store, if he does they can accuse him of physically attacking them. This evening two people were sitting in the two piles of baskets inside the entrance to the store, genuine customers were unable to get baskets and the security man could only ask them to move.

Members of the public in the store appear to prefer to be ambivolent towards this situation rather than challenge it head on. I believe that the police, tesco security staff and all of their customers have a responsibility to help maintain a safe environment when we shop. To ignore this small number of people who behave in an anti-social manner is to condone their behaviour. We need to challenge it, otherwise it will only get worse.

I understand that these young people live in a block of flats between Great Junction Street and The Shore, many people say it would be a good thing if the block of flats was blown up. i can only add that when they are blown up we should ensure that the majority of the current residents are still in them.

Now, people of Edinburgh, of Scotland, of Great Britain we all need to take up some responsibility for challenging anti social behaviour, additionally we need to etition our politicians to have the current law changed to enable and empower security staff to be able to use reasonable force to remove people from private premises when they are causing a nuisance. If we all sit back and do nothing it will get worse and we will only be able to blame ourselves for doing nothing. In short, the management of the asylum needs to regain control, otherwise anarchy will rule forever.

I hope to get back to you soon with a more down to earth update on how life continues for me in Edinburgh.