An Inverness businesswoman has said she is “sad, tired and upset” about anti-social behaviour blighting the city centre.
Lisa McGougan owns 2 Tone Tattoos on the corner of the city’s Castle Street and Raining’s Stairs, and has complained to police several times about people urinating and vomiting on the steps outside.
The 42-year-old has also been forced to lock the toilets inside her premises after groups of drinkers started coming in to use them about two weeks ago.
Police are aware of recent anti-social behaviour and disorder in the city centre and are ramping up patrols during the festive period as part of Operation Respect.
Highland Council, police and Inverness BID are currently working on a post New Year strategy to tackle the problem and will meet in mid December to formalise a solution.
Mrs McGougan said: “When I come to work in the morning I don’t know what I am going to be faced with. About 85% of my customers have mentioned it to me and they are having to run this gauntlet when they come here.
“We are talking about people in their 20s and upwards, and they are faces we know. They will gather by the Raining Stairs and then I see them stop traffic as they cross Castle Street in a drunken state. Quite a lot of them then hang about in the council car park with their booze, and I see them urinating on the steps leading up to the castle.
“I have called the police several times and I called them three times in week a couple of weeks ago when it got worse. There needs to be more police presence and they need to look at the CCTV cameras as well.
“It’s not just this small bit that concerns me but the fact I walk up the High Street and it looks awful, as they all sit and drink on the benches there. I actually find it really sad, really tiring and upsetting. People must think Inverness is a hell hole. We are not talking the place down but asking the authorities to open their eyes and see what is going on.”
About four weeks ago she contacted the council’s environmental health department after finding human waste on the path leading up to her business.
Inverness BID manager, Mike Smith, said: “I think we all imagine there should be a more visible police presence. There is allocated resources to the city centre but at times that is drawn away.
“This is our concern and and we want everyone to feel good when they come to the city centre. There is not just the actuality of this problem but the perception of it, and we need to address that and find the solutions.”
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