Whilst parked outside my local Indian restaurant (waiting for my take-away meal of Korma sauce, a portion of chips and a plain naan bread), I was bemused to discover that even in a tiny village in the midst of Epping Forest; consisting of a church, a pub, an Indian Take-Away and a Happy Shopper, the hooded “Yoof Culture” of today was ever-prevalent.
Now, I’m all for under-aged kids setting down their PlayStation control pads and venturing into open air. However, when the latter pertains not to constuctive physical activity such as bike-riding and roller-blading, but to loitering noisily outside an Off-Licence and kicking an empty plastic bottle repeatedly against a wall whilst bellowing slang into a mobile phone “Dom Jolly-style” (all this in the dark and near-freezing temperatures of winter evenings), I can’t help but think these kids actually would be better off in the warm, all watching a DVD at a friend’s house.
Technically, they were doing no wrong/damage. However, both K and I admitted that their bulk presence was intimidating and was no doubt hindering the shop-keeper’s trade.
I don’t think their Goose-Stepping helped much either…
A full-time wheelchair user since 1998, Claire lives in an adapted bungalow in England with her Partner of 10 years and their two dogs: 
Hah. My friend lives in a 60’s tower block, in a half reasonable area. Nice houses, lots of open space, loads of old people. They also have a row of shops. During the day, it’s a little run down..tatty..but you can walk up it.
Come the dimmer hours, it becomes a magnet for all the kids…all ages, just standing around being noisy/doing drugs/intimidating/setting fires. We *love* going to see them. I park on the pavement, other side of the road. It’s not at all a comforting place to be. I doubt they’d do much — I used to live round there and work at the school, and my family come from round there..but its always a huge relief to start the engine and get the hell out of there.
The shops all have steel shutters etc, but if they can’t do the shops, they move onto cars. So far he’s had: Wingmirror booted off, and every panel/window on one side smashed or battered in. They’ve also tried to torch it over new year..apparently “they do it for fun”.
On the way out last night while trying not to run them down, we drove past the “play park” for the younger kids. Both “tyre swings” were merrily blazing away in the cold darkness. I wish I’d had the camera..it summed Harlescott up for me..:)
As my teacher colleague once said “I’d shoot the lot of them…scum-sucking weasels..”.
You’d swear the kids here were intimidating thugs..maybe they are outside, but since they know us, we’re “sound” apparently..and get nothing but help. Personally, I prefer it when they refer to me as “shady” or “dodgy”. Or, as happened yesterday -“knob.”
Wow…and to think that “for fun” as kids, my friends and I and would just muck about with water balloons and camp out with 5 of us in a 2-man tent in our back garden, whist consuming copious amounts of “Pick ‘N Mix” (and playing a rather diluted version of “Truth or Dare”)
As for “play parks” — they’re the worst. I used to have to go through one on my way to college, making sure to dodge the used condoms and tin foil…nice.