Standing outside her town centre cafe, Sharron Foley says anti-social behaviour has become impossible to ignore.
Drinkers openly carrying cans, suspected drug use and street abuse have become familiar sights, she said, leaving some customers reluctant to visit her business in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
“It’s not a good place at the minute,” Foley said. “I don’t feel the town is safe any more.”
Her concerns come as new Respect Orders are introduced by the government, giving police and councils new powers to target people responsible for persistent anti-social behaviour.
The orders, which came into force on Monday, can be used to ban persistent offenders from town centres and other anti-social behaviour hotspots.
Courts can also require individuals to address the causes of their behaviour through measures such as drug or alcohol treatment, or anger management courses.
Policing minister Sarah Jones visited Newcastle-under-Lyme to promote the new powers.
It is a criminal offence to breach the conditions of a Respect Order and offenders could face prison, she said.
“Respect Orders are for adults, the people you see in your town centre that you know are persistently causing anti-social behaviour,” the Labour MP said.