Westminster removes St John’s Wood garden bench after anti-social behaviour complaints

Westminster City Council has removed an 89-year-old resident’s bench from a planted street garden in St John’s Wood, citing repeated complaints about anti-social behaviour. Katharine Hoskyns created the green space more than 25 years ago, and says it gives neighbours a place to talk and has community support.

Hoskyns says she was discussing the issue with the council and had submitted a petition signed by more than 60 local people, but the bench was removed before a planned November meeting. The council says the bench attracted night-time anti-social behaviour, including drug use, and that it had evidence of problems over many years; it also raised safety concerns about fallen pots and the bench’s structure. It offered to return the bench to her back garden, which she says has no room for it.