THE news that the police are considering taking out anti-social behaviour orders against youths harassing two Upper Stratton shopkeepers comes not a moment too soon.

Like most small business owners Suketu and Sangita Patel, who run a shop in Meadowcroft, want nothing more than to be able to offer a service to the local community in peace and safety.

This has lately become impossible because customers are being frightened away by louts who loiter outside.

Perhaps the only way of restoring the Patels' right to provide a service and their customers' right to use that service is to have those louts legally forbidden from the area.

If that is the case, so be it.