Youth related Anti-Social Behaviour

There has been a spike in reporting of youth related anti-social behaviour from the local businesses and residents in Town Centre area of Weston super Mare.

Officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team have been conducting high visibility patrols in the affected areas and following up with the local businesses and North Somerset CCTV. 18 individuals have already been formally identified and partner agencies engaged to determine the plan going forward, so that their behaviour can be addressed.

Further work is ongoing and will include collaboration between North Somerset Community Response, Children Social Services and Youth Offending Service, as well as following up with children’s parents to make sure they are aware of their children’s whereabouts and incidents they are involved in.

Additional resources for high visibility patrols, through Operation HOLD (hot spot policing to tackle anti-social behaviour), have already been secured and there will be more officers patrolling the streets of Weston Town Centre over the next 3 weeks.

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• 21 October 2025
  

  Emerging Trend: Youth Accessing Derelict Buildings in Weston and Ashcombe Areas

  Over recent weeks, there has been a noticeable increase in calls and reports concerning groups of young persons accessing derelict, abandoned, or disused buildings across Weston town centre and the Ashcombe area. These incidents often involve large groups and are occurring with growing frequency, raising concerns around safety, criminal damage, and anti-social behaviour.

  Initial observations suggest that this activity is being driven by a growing social media trend known as “urban exploration” or “urbex”, where individuals or groups seek out and document abandoned sites. These explorations are typically recorded and shared online via platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The content often includes dramatic footage of decaying interiors, graffiti, and risky climbs, which appear to glamorise the activity and encourage imitation.

  A number of popular urban exploration channels have emerged, some of which focus specifically on locations across North Somerset and Bristol. These channels have gained significant traction among local youth, many of whom are actively subscribed and engaging with the content. Once a new location is featured, it is quickly circulated among peer groups, leading to a surge in visits to the site — often within hours or days of the video being posted.

  This trend is attracting unwanted attention to vulnerable sites, many of which are structurally unsafe and pose serious risks including:

  • Physical injury due to unstable floors, exposed wiring, or falling debris.
  • Criminal trespass and potential legal consequences for those entering restricted areas.
  • Fire hazards, especially in buildings with damaged infrastructure or flammable materials.
  • Disruption to nearby residents, including noise, vandalism, and littering.

  We continue working with partner agencies, local council, landlords and owners to make sure those properties are boarded up and secured.

• 7 October 2025
  

  We continue seeing the decrease in youth-related incidents in Weston Town Centre, which was to be expected considering school is back on and the weather is turning for the worse.

  There have been a number of reports of young persons climbing scaffolding scattered around Weston Town Centre and running on roofs of the local businesses.

  There are quite a few derelict buildings in the area, and their neglect invites the curiosity of adventurous children, wandering adults, and members of the street community, often turning these forgotten spaces into hubs of unintended activity.

  Sadly, when individuals enter these neglected buildings, they expose themselves to serious risk—whether through structural hazards or other unforeseen dangers. Their actions can also result in additional damage and significant financial loss for the property owners, further compounding the burden.

  Local Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) officers have been actively working to identify and engage with property owners to ensure that derelict buildings are properly secured. These efforts are aimed at reducing access to unsafe structures and preventing further incidents. Officers are also prioritising the personal safety of the children involved, offering safeguarding advice and working closely with schools and youth services to raise awareness about the dangers of exploring these hazardous environments.

• 23 September 2025
  

  With the summer holidays now over and the weather turning less favourable, we’ve observed a marked decline in youth-related incidents in Weston-super-Mare Town Centre.

  Despite the reduction in call volume, our proactive work with young offenders continues. We remain committed to joint efforts with the Youth Offending Service, Child Social Services, Early Intervention, and Anti-Social Behaviour Teams. These partnerships are crucial in addressing underlying issues, supporting early intervention, and ensuring that those involved are steered away from further offending

• 3 September 2025
  

  There have been 4 incidents involving youth violence in Weston Town Centre in the last 14 days and they are being investigated.

  The work surrounding youth related ASB and criminality will continue, however we do anticipate a decrease in youth related reports once young persons return to schools in September and the weather becomes less favourable.

  We are doing our best to tackle youth related ASB and criminality, steer those young persons involved away from offending, but at the same time bringing offenders to justice, so that our communities can feel safe and be safe.