IS it really 2014? We seem to be treating our teenagers very badly in some areas of Bolton.

In Little Lever last Wednesday night I saw teenagers standing on street corners and outside closed shops.

I’ve seen them sitting on wet pavements and outside in all weathers. Surely they deserve a place to go where they can meet and socialise?

Sitting outside our many shuttered shops is not conducive to health. Adults have plenty of places to go to. Our young people need places too.

Didn’t we once have a plan for a youth project in Little Lever — using the old police station on the main street as an exciting, safe, organised youth club, with the police occupying one half and teenagers the other half? It seemed to be a win-win situation for everyone.

If we treat the youth of today with disrespect, we can’t expect to be respected in return. We now have a new Tesco store being built that we really don’t need.

Why can’t we provide a safe place for our youth?

A Cartmell Bolton