"ROWDY" teenagers who gather in an Arnold alleyway and "intimidate people" and "drink" have been targeted by local police to protect residents.
One 15-year-old girl broke her bail conditions as the force issued a dispersal order over the weekend.
Three other youngsters were asked to leave the steps between Front Street and Smithy Crescent on Saturday and a further five were taken home and talked to by officers and their parents.
Residents, businesses and pubs say the children worry elderly residents and parents.
"I've got three young girls," said one 30-year-old of Smithy Crescent, who asked not to be named. "They're always screaming and swearing and making a lot of noise. I've seen so many people go the long way round because they don't want to walk down those steps.
"They don't listen to the police, they just run off and come back the next day. There can be anything between five to 20 of them at once, drinking and being rowdy."
The father said the teens arrive before school, during the day and in the evenings.
Lorraine Swain, landlady at the Robin Hood and Little John, said the behaviour had been raised at previous Arnold Pubwatch meetings.
She said: "There are up to 30 of them meeting at times. It isn't so much a problem for us but there are elderly residents living nearby and they can be intimidate people.
"I'm glad to see the police are doing something about it."
Rusty Brookes, of Credit Crunch Carpets, which is next door to the alleyway, said the kids need somewhere else to spend their time.
"It's kids being kids," he said. "Of course it's upsetting some of the elderly women who live nearby. It can be intimidating going that way.
"I've never had any trouble with the shop though," he said. "You can tell these are just kids who are bored and need something else to do. There isn't a community centre or anything around here for them."
Arnold's neighbourhood policing team issued a 30-hour dispersal order from 5pm on Saturday (17 jan) to 11pm on Sunday, (18) between Front Street, Ravenswood Road and Coppice Road.
Neighbourhood policing inspector for Gedling North, Steve O'Neill, said: "We work hard to ensure antisocial behaviour and violence are dealt with robustly in Arnold and the surrounding areas.
"Those spoken to were directed to leave the area and not to return for a specified period, which was necessary for the purpose of removing or reducing the likelihood of antisocial behaviour."
