The British Army has refuted a claim that students and squaddies will mix “like oil and water” when troops arrive in Leuchars.
There is concern among some police officers in Fife about how the soldiers, some returning from Afghanistan, will integrate with St Andrews students, in particular during boozy weekends. But the army said they have no such fears.
A spokesman said: “The army are looking forward to coming to Leuchars and I’m sure we will have the same relationship with townsfolk as the RAF did.”
Police Scotland denied it was anticipating trouble and said there would be no change to policing in the area.
Chief Inspector Adrian Annandale, local policing commander for north-east Fife, said: “Fife Division of Police Scotland has been part of a liaison group with all partners and stakeholders since the announcement that RAF Leuchars was transforming into a base for the army.
“There will be no change in the nature of policing and we look forward to welcoming the new army community to north-east Fife.”
But a source told The Courier that officers were preparing for problems.
The source said: “We need to see how the two groups are going to mix, because there could be a clash of lifestyles.There is anecdotal evidence of what has happened at other university towns.
“The students and squaddies could mix like oil and water.”
The claim was rubbished by Councillor Tim Brett, who is on the Fife Defence Transition Task Force.
Mr Brett said: “The army are no different from anybody else. They’ve got families and children, and to suggest they are a lot of tearaways is not accurate. I don’t think these suggestions are helpful…
“The community of Leuchars is looking forward to welcoming them.”
St Andrews councillor Dorothea Morrison said: “The RAF have obviously been very welcome and we hope the army will also come into the area without any problems.
“I certainly hope we don’t have any problems with the squaddies coming in because we do on occasions have problems with the students.”
Between 800 and 850 army personnel will move to Leuchars in 2015. The units coming to Fife are the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers battalion and the Royal Military Police.
When contacted by The Courier St Andrews University declined to comment.