Police officers have been called to a newly opened Perthshire store four times to deal with problem youths.
The group of 12-to-15-year-olds are reported to have been causing a nuisance around Crieff in recent times.
At a recent meeting of the Perth and Kinross licensing board councillors heard the group was barred from entering a B&M store.
Discount chain B&M opened a brand new store on Broich Road, Crieff in September 2021.
On January 27, 2022 representatives from B&M presented their case for the Crieff store to be awarded a premises licence at a virtual meeting of the Perth and Kinross licensing board.
Perth and Kinross licensing board meetings have been held privately during the pandemic but meetings are now recorded and a video of the meeting was uploaded to the council’s YouTube page this week.
B&M representative Richard Williams told the board there had been four instances of the police being called to the newly- opened Crieff store “because of youths hanging around”.
He said: “I’ve spoken to Mr Robb (the store manager) about this. He accepts that there are cases where this being a new store I suppose it’s attractive for youths to hang around and cause an annoyance but they (staff) are actually pro-active in calling the police if these issues happen.
“I am told there was a group of about 10 members aged 12 to 15 who have been causing vandalism locally, hanging around stores and the store considers they have been effective to try and deal with this. It’s one specific group. They are barred from the store. They are encouraged to leave.
“And if they congregate or mess about with the trolleys outside then the police are called and they are moved on. B&M will do their best to try and prevent this from happening.”
Highland Perthshire Conservative councillor - and former police superintendent - John Duff asked about the possibility of de-listing “problem products” in Crieff.
Area manager Bob Sahota said that was something B&M would “absolutely look into”. He told the board B&M had done it elsewhere with the likes of alcopops.
Strathallan SNP councillor Tom Gray questioned if the store felt “capable to cope” with the youths staffing wise.
B&M’s Crieff manager Jake Robb told councillors the store currently employs around 27 members of staff with five or six in at any one time.
The licensing board agreed to grant a provisional premises licence with a local condition for the dispersal of patrons and preventing the purchase by/for a child/young person.
Inspector Nicky Forrester said afterwards that officers were aware of the incidents involving “a small minority” of young people.
He added: “We are committed to encouraging young people away from this kind of behaviour but will take appropriate action where incidents are reported and offenders identified.
“We take appropriate action in partnership with the local authority with a view to improving the quality of life for everyone living in our local communities.
“We remain committed to working to engage with young people to help prevent antisocial behaviour which can often be disruptive in our communities.”
