Kent Police arrested six people and moved on nearly 40 others during a bank holiday crackdown on anti-social behaviour across Thanet, after sunny crowds in Broadstairs prompted dispersal orders in Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate.
The action came after widely shared footage showed groups of young people on Viking Bay beach over the warm bank holiday weekend, with businesses in the seaside town saying the gatherings were intimidating and disruptive.
Andrew Webb said the behaviour had gone on for three years and that it was “awful to see.” He said young people were turning up with alcohol and that, if a grown-up said anything, they could be surrounded by “a swarm of about 20 or 30 young youths.”
Webb said the problems had driven a “complete decline” at Viking Bay beach and hit trade at the surf school, which he said had seen a “massive decline for people not hiring boards or lessons because of the amount of problems that we are receiving.” He said he was not opening his business until later on because he needed to clear large amounts of litter from the beach.
Kent Police said officers had made several arrests, moved on multiple people after reports of anti-social behaviour and seized alcohol from underage drinkers. The force said there would always be pockets of incidents, but local businesses said the disruption was harming trade and creating a climate that made staff and customers uneasy.
The Viking Bay Cafe said on social media that anti-social behaviour had been seen throughout the town and that some businesses were forced to close early because of the disruption and intimidation. The New Old Bakehouse in Broadstairs described Monday as “an exhausting day” for local businesses, saying staff were trying to keep customers safe and businesses running while dealing with the fallout.
For Broadstairs, the immediate question is not whether the beach crowds were visible — they were — but whether police action after a weekend of widely shared clips will be enough to stop the same scene returning with the next spell of warm weather.
