NEW powers are being used to tackle anti-social behaviour in Bolton town centre - but not everyone is happy about it.

This week, The Bolton News spoke to shopkeepers about how the council crackdown is going and the feedback on the scheme was, well, mixed.

While the public space protection order (PSPOs) which allows authorities to issue fines of up to £100 for begging and on-street drinking has been welcomed, some say they have seen little change.

READ MORE: Bolton businesses say town centre begging ban is not working

Online the story sparked a big reaction with thousands reading the story and almost 100 comments in the first few hours.

This is what you had to say:

"I will be in town tonight and I know I will be asked for money by beggars/druggies claiming they are homeless, sometimes they congregate in groups which makes me feel uncomfortable and if its very late a little intimidated. I have on occasions seen five beggars/druggies on Bradshawgate within 100 yards and only 2/3 pedestrians, sometimes it's the same in the daytime. I was observing two beggars/druggies for a while near Corporation St about 20 yards apart and yes people giving them money, they where in some sort of conversation and at one point one said "No I can't I'm off home in a minute" these professional beggars are giving the genuine homeless a bad name."

Don Tong

"I was brought up in Bolton and remember all of the independent shops on Newport st. Also I remember shoppers from all over Lancashire coming to shop in Bolton especially on market day. I now come back to Bolton occasionally to visit family, it has changed behind all recognition, I have visited many Easter European and third world countries, Bolton now is far worst than any of these, on each of my visits on going to the town centre I see the beggars and druggies congregating in groups all over the town, yet I have yet to see a single policeman on the streets, it's an absolute disgrace."

Never the same again

"Shopping in the Town would be frightening now with all these beggars about, that is if there was anywhere left to bloody well shop. Good Lord were have all the decent retailers gone? We don't all play the Pony's and shop in Poundland you know!!!"

Jaste

"It's got worse since this new law thing came out so now i do all my shopping in bury it's a nicer town and alot cleaner."

GhettoGangster

"If the fines aren't working, they must be banned from the town centre."

Westhoughton Lad

"I avoid Bolton town centre these days. The aggressive beggars that sit outside the new Aldi in Westhoughton are getting worse and Aldi is not interested."

Keaw Yed

"They're just not going away! Why would you when people hand out cash to them to feed their habits. The signs on lamposts around town discouraging beggars are neither use nor ornament! There's always some near Sainsburys, Morrisons, and the already mentioned hot spots in town! Positive feedback? What a joke!"

Boltonbornandbread

"What must happen in your life to reduce you to living in the streets? If it's drugs, these people need to be sent to rehab, paid for by the council, if they really want to solve this problem, because the really cold weather is coming, and so is Christmas, and if shoppers are going to avoid Bolton, it is in the council's interests to help get these people to turn their lives around, or they won't be collecting rent from the shops, because they'll all have been forced to close, and what then?"

What I think 222