ONLY 'half a bench’ has been installed outside a Basingstoke shop to stop antisocial behaviour, including preventing people from using it to sleep on.

A petition was signed by more than 100 people in Lychpit asking for a bench to be installed outside the Tesco Express store for customers to take a rest after shopping.

But after funding was agreed and the bench was installed, it wasn’t quite what they had in mind.

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Customers at the Tesco Express store were critical of the bench, which is only big enough for one person to sit on.

One shopper said: “It’s a bit pathetic, isn’t it?”

Martin Peer, 76, from Byfleet Avenue, said: “It’s madness having only one seat. I can understand the argument if you have a larger seat it seems to encourage people to sleep on it. I would think that people wouldn’t want that around here. But we ought to have provision for people to sleep in proper places rather than be forced to sleep on a bench.”

Graham Savage, 67, from Old Basing, pointed out that two people might be able to sit down if they sat back-to-back.

He added: “I did see that they have only put half a bench in to stop people sleeping on there.”

The bench is thought to be an example of ‘hostile architecture’ - an urban design strategy often used to target people who use or rely on public space more than others, such as youth, poor people and homeless people, by restricting the physical behaviours they can engage in.

It is not the first time so-called ‘hostile architecture’ has been used in Basingstoke.

In 2020, the owners of Chineham Shopping Centre came under fire after installing pebbles to allegedly crack down on professional beggars.

The move was described by some as ‘cruel’ and ‘unnecessary’.

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County councillor Elaine Still, who agreed on Hampshire County Council funding for the bench, said the seat was agreed with the parish council as a “compromise”.

She said: “I have always been very clear that a full bench there – no way. There’s lots of history. Many years ago we had a bench there and there was a lot of vandalism and children used to congregate outside and that upset the neighbours.”

She added: “When the parish council weren’t happy that we couldn’t have a full bench we compromised and decided on a pit stop for weary legs. People can shop and a lot of people walk to that shop. I thought it would be nice for them to have a small bench and have a breather.

"The reason I wouldn’t agree to a full bench is because we can’t afford to have rough sleepers back.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: "As the county council holds the freehold to the Lychpit Centre, the parish council approached the authority for permission to install a bench outside the building, to provide a seat of rest for those who may have difficulty walking the distance from their home to the shops and back.

"Permission was given and the parish council proceeded to select, purchase and arrange the installation of their chosen seat. Responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of the seat remains with the parish council."