Letters: Differing Views About the Night-Time Groups Who Gather on The Mount

Published on: 1 Jul, 2020
Updated on: 1 Jul, 2020

Two letters in response to: Party-goers Force The Mount Into a No-Go Area for Residents After 8pm

From Nick Brown

As a local “youth” (I’m 21) I’m not sure the letter from the anonymous resident is accurate. I was up there with two friends just a few days ago, and it was quite calm and peaceful

Most people were quietly chatting in groups of up to six, and although there were a couple of groups of more than six, they had mostly dispersed by the time it got dark.
Some very polite police did patrol the area about 10.30pm, and had a quiet conversation with a group just down from us which appeared to be about ensuring they took their litter home.

Rather than a “no-go” area, many local people continued to enjoy evening walks up to when it got dark. I would encourage everyone to go for themselves to enjoy the sunset.

I think it is inaccurate to characterise this as “anti-social” behaviour and I’m worried that the writer might be scaring off local residents who may want to share our lovely green spaces with young people and the whole community.

From Donne Pretorius

My husband and I regularly walk our dogs on The Mount in early morning, about 5.30am. We often see the same youths leaving hastily on bikes and on foot. The litter is shocking.

On one occasion, we came across a smouldering patch just outside Henley fort along the road. We continued our walk along The Mount to what I call the third field where cattle sometimes graze only to find remnants of a bonfire and as mentioned in the article all kinds of drug and food cartons littered from here to the field where access is gained from Onslow.

Unfortunately, we do not carry a phone for photos but another regular walker took photos. Admittedly, this past week it has been a pleasure to not see any litter but this bunch of youths will be back.

We have never approached them because they do not look the type you want to approach due to possible repercussions for both us and our dogs.

Responses to Letters: Differing Views About the Night-Time Groups Who Gather on The Mount

Jools Mooney Reply

July 1, 2020 at 9:51 pm

I would like to ask Nick (youth 21) to try living here on The Mount. Maybe he would like to come and pick up all the drugs paraphernalia and litter dumped up here every night.

He comes up here for an hour and thinks it’s all ok. Well it’s not. Not when you can’t even access your own home and have to suffer the amount of anti-social behaviour, including drug dealing, rubbish dumping, littering, loud music booming out of cars, along with the screaming every night until God knows what time. Maybe he should reconsider his comments.
B Dalli Reply

July 4, 2020 at 10:25 pm

I cycle The Mount 3-4 times a week in the early evening. On occasion I have witnessed entrances blocked by cars, rubbish left, cars driven at speed (one time a row of 3-4 cars, the lead car steered deliberately into my path purely for their enjoyment).

The location is unique and a treasure. It does not take much to be considerate, why is it so hard for some?
Name and address supplied Reply

July 6, 2020 at 8:58 am

The situation on The Mount is terrible, the road is always blocked with illegally parked cars. Most of the motorists that park there in the evening are smoking skunk, you can smell it when you walk past them. We keep finding 100s of small nitrous oxide canisters tossed into the bushes along with beer cans and whiskey bottles.

It’s such a lovely area that needs to be looked after. It would be a good idea to install a gate and keep it closed after dusk to stop the antisocial behaviour.