Claims Perth is being blighted by addicts, drunks and beggars have provoked heated responses from Courier readers.
Last week guesthouse owner George Tennie claimed customers are being put off the Fair City by beggars and “down and outs.” He said he even has to tell visitors to come to the Heidl Guest House in York Place by a circuitous route to avoid them.
The issue has split the public, with some using The Courier website’s comments section to agree the town is in danger of gaining a poor reputation, while others strongly defend it.
One said, “I do not suppose the Heidl guests are helped by the fact that there are two homeless hostels on the doorstep, not to mention flats in the Old High Street that are home to addicts. It is time that those who claim to take a pride in Perth did something about it.”
Another said, “I live in South Street and frequently have problems with druggies and drunks. Our close door has been broken and they have ruined our door entry system.
“We’ve had to deal with vandalism. There are three old ladies in our block and they are now too scared to go out.”
A former resident said, “I left Perth five years ago and have been shocked by the rapid slide the town has suffered since then. The riverside was once a fantastic place to walk but it’s a no go now. Same for South street. No Fair City now.”
Brett Reynolds from Norwich said, “I visited Perth last year and was shocked at the aggressive manner of drunks and drug addicts firstly in the town centre at the main post office, then on a walk down by the river side, where the only wildlife on offer was six drunks sharing tins of Tennant’s.”
However, Kate Clark defended her home town, stating, “I am in town nearly every day and have yet to come across any beggars. My family have not come across these beggars.”
Another backed her, stating, “What utter rubbish. I am in Perth city centre every day and go for a lunchtime walk along the river. I’ve never seen any gangs of drunks.
“This guesthouse owner should be promoting Perth to visitors, not putting them off. Perth is not perfect but I don’t recognise the town described in this story.”
Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Miller called the claims “utter nonsense.”
“These outlandish claims bear absolutely no resemblance to the reality of life in Perth,” he said. “In national surveys Perth consistently scores highly as a place that offers some of the best quality of life in the UK.
“Why would this be the case if the city was indeed awash with drunks and drug addicts?”
However, Tayside Police Inspector Jim Smith said, “We are aware of areas in Perth that known alcoholics and drug abusers frequent and we give these areas regular attention. However, we also rely on members of the public getting in touch with us to report any incidents of anti-social behaviour.”