I am writing regarding the new laws imposed against groups of teenagers who congregate in the Town Hall Square.

I would just like to say, I have never experienced these young people being intimidating in any way.

Where would the people who complain like all the teenagers to go; be kept in the house where they won't be seen and especially not heard?

I am well past my teenage years, but even when I was that age, we were always getting moved on by the police from the places we used to meet, and it seems like nothing changes in this town. Whether it is on street corners, or in the middle of a town centre, if you are a young person, you are in the wrong place.

Can I suggest that Bolton Council stops punishing young people by taking activities away from them and put more facilities in place?

When my mum was a teenager, they had many places where they met their friends. These places included a number of cinemas and "Temperance Bars" which, my mum tells me, were meeting places for young people where soft drinks were served and music was played courtesy of a jukebox. What happened?

Could it be that they were all pulled down or bought out to make way for pubs, shops and the odd bingo or casino? Why can't we have more of these "meeting" places and maybe even workshops were young people can learn a future trade with expert help?

These facilities should be available for all young people in every community, not just for the minority who have already been in trouble, and not just situated in one or two areas of the borough. The majority of young people in Bolton are not "yobs" or troublemakers, they just want to spend time with their mates and enjoy themselves.

Come on Bolton councillors, find a way to invest some time and money in today's youth because after all, they are the voters of tomorrow.

J Gregory

Great Lever