A £150,000 covered seating area at Dudley Market has been removed by Dudley Council after 16 months of operation due to anti-social behaviour.

The seating area was intended to attract food trucks and pop-up vendors to create a social hub and draw visitors to the town. However, the planned food traders never materialised, and the space instead became a focal point for drinking, drug use and other anti-social activity.

On Friday, the council removed the seating area. Traders and residents reported that the space had become a magnet for problematic behaviour, with business owners having to regularly clean up drug paraphernalia and empty bottles.

Traders report serious impact on business

Pete Westwood, who owns a doughnut business in Dudley, said he was glad the seating area had been taken out. "I felt like it's probably took longer than it should have," he said.

Westwood highlighted the scale of the problem: "With all the problems: anti-social behaviour, drug taking. [People] using it as a toilet. Not just for number ones, but number twos."

The anti-social behaviour deterred traders from the market. Two traders partially left the area because of the issues, and Westwood himself turned down a free trading space there after witnessing what was happening.

"I didn't think it'd be that great there, you know, I had a feeling there'd be groups of kids hanging about," he said. "I definitely wasn't interested by them once I [had] seen what was happening there."

Another trader, who asked not to be named, said the seating area had created an intimidating atmosphere, particularly in the late afternoon. Drunk people and rough sleepers often congregated in the space, and would harass traders after drinking.

"Now they've removed [the seating area], it seems like a different market [and] hopefully it'll bring people back to the area," the trader said.

Residents question the original plan

Local resident Ryan Green described the seating area as "pointless". He said it was vandalised frequently and remained dirty, making it an unappealing place to eat.

"Why would people eat there if it was always filthy?" he asked. Green argued the council should have secured food trucks before opening the seating area, as there was "no incentive" to use the space without them.

Paul Chapman said he had strongly opposed the seating area from the outset. He witnessed people drinking, taking drugs and dancing on the tables. "It's a waste of time, waste of money, and a waste of effort. A bad idea. It was the wrong thing to do," he said.

Residents and traders also noted that the seats were often filthy and covered in pigeon droppings.

Future prospects for Dudley town centre

Westwood called for closer working between Dudley Council and local traders to support the town's recovery.

"Make Dudley a great place, because obviously we've got a lovely shiny new bus station opening soon and what we don't want to do is have people come off it to go to the museum and see a town that they don't like or they wouldn't want to visit," he said.