Police will have powers to ban anyone ‘causing or likely to a cause a nuisance’ from the retail park for 24 hours
Bentley Bridge Retail Park, Wolverhampton(Image: Google Maps)
New powers aimed at tackling a sharp rise in youth violence and shoplifting at Bentley Bridge retail park have been backed by councillors.
City of Wolverhampton Council has approved a new public space protection order (PSPO) for Bentley Bridge Retail Park which gives police powers to ask groups of three or more people to leave the area if they are causing or likely to cause a nuisance as well as remove face coverings if they have no reasonable grounds to wear them.
City of Wolverhampton Council said the three-year public space protection order (PSPO) would tackle “persistent anti-social behaviour, violence, and shoplifting within the retail park, which has seen a significant rise in youth-related incidents and disorder.
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The council added the anti-social behaviour was “characterised by disruptive group activity, intimidation of staff and visitors, reckless use of vehicles, and increasingly frequent incidents of disorderly conduct.”
The powers would also allow police to ban groups of three or more, or people within a group of three or more, from the retail park for 24 hours if they are “causing, or likely to cause, nuisance or disorder, or harassment, alarm and distress to any other person.”
The order also bans face coverings, that are not personal protective equipment (PPE) or religious items or garments, while on the retail park.
The proposals were backed by the Labour-run council’s cabinet at a meeting on March 18.
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Councillor Obaida Ahmed, cabinet member for health, wellbeing and community, said the three-year PSPO would help keep Bentley Bridge a “safe, inclusive and successful destination.
A cabinet report said Bentley Bridge Retail Park had experienced “persistent and escalating levels of anti-social behaviour, disorder, shoplifting and violence over a four-year period, with a notable increase in youth-related incidents.”
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As many as 878 incidents were recorded between April 2021 and March 2025 and the number of anti-social behaviour incidents increased by 150% in the four years. In early 2025, as much as 71% of incidents involved young people.
A total of 11% of violent incidents were classified as “serious youth violence.”
A further 87 incidents were recorded in September and October last year and a section 35 dispersal order, which gives police powers to ban individuals from the area for 48 hours, was required in November.
“Although not exclusively, the anti-social behaviour reported at Bentley Bridge that the proposed PSPO aims to address includes incidents of violence, particularly among young people,” the cabinet report added.
“Such violence, and the fear it generates, can discourage visitors from spending time and money in the area, negatively impacting the local economy.
“This, in turn, undermines the perception of Bentley Bridge as a safe, welcoming public space for all.
“The proposed PSPO for Bentley Bridge would introduce targeted restrictions to address the most prevalent forms of ASB and support enforcement efforts.”
The council said initial breaches by young people would likely result in “verbal warnings, engagement with parents or guardians, and referrals to support or diversionary services” but fines could be issued to over 18s and persistent breaches may result in criminal behaviour orders.
