Southampton PDSA charity shop workers plagued by 'urinating and fighting homeless people'

Workers at PDSA charity shop in Shirley High Street have been left worried after witnessing repeated clashes among rough sleepers outside their store.

Team members say persistent anti-social behaviour happens on a daily basis.

Shop manager Andrea Balmer said the group's nuisance is also affecting their business trade. 

She said: "(They are) fighting amongst themselves, urinating in the street, throwing away bottles and cans of alcohol. 

"This is putting off shoppers and residents and turning them away from our store.

"They need to be moved because they are losing us trade.

"This situation has gotten worse and worse over time, and nobody is doing anything to stop this."

Andrea said someone has also taken items from the store's bins.

She said: “Our bins are targeted all the time.

“They take stuff from our bin and sell it outside Sainsbury’s. 

“They have taken DVDs and whatever they can find.” 

Wendy McGinty, 54, assistant manager of the shop, shared: "We are used to it now and we don't expect anything different. 

"We have complained about this to the officers but they were not interested."Wendy McGinty

Wendy added: "Police and the council need to get a grip on this problem, otherwise it's going to get out of hand." 

Saying "enough is enough," Andrea and Wendy are calling for urgent action to tackle this problem. 

Meanwhile, Hampshire police said it recognises the impact anti-social behaviour has had on communities. 

Inspector Sharath Ranjan said: "When it comes to antisocial behaviour among homeless people—who are among the most vulnerable in our community for a variety of reasons—working closely with our partners in health services and the local authority is essential to reduce the problem and make sure these people get the support they need."

The officer also said that where crimes are committed, they will take enforcement action. 

Insp Ranjan added: "We would always encourage members of the public to report antisocial behaviour to us when they see it, as it helps us build a stronger picture of the hotspots and prevalent issues and makes sure we can put resources into those areas."