Guest house owners say youths are continuing to cause trouble along Weymouth seafront, despite the police stepping up patrols.

As reported, there have been major concerns about rowdy youths hanging around the beach huts in front of Brunswick Terrace on summer evenings, leaving traders feeling ‘unsafe’ and worried for the reputation of their businesses.

Police say they are doing all they can to address concerns, but it appears the situation has not improved.

Diane Rogers, owner of Seaspray Guest House, said: “The problem is you cannot slate the police; yes, they are patrolling, but they cannot be here 24/7.”

Alison Weller, owner of Channel View Guest House and chairman of the Weymouth Hoteliers, Guesthouses and Leaseholders Association, said she and her husband have had to call the police twice due to unruly behaviour within the space of a week.

She said: “One was about 20 youths congregating outside my guest house by the beach huts at about one o’clock in the morning.”

Her neighbours witnessed the disturbance and said the youths were drinking, swearing and playing loud music.

Mrs Weller added that on A Level results day, she called police again when she saw “a mix of youths drinking in the beach huts” and noticed “they were pushing and rocking” one of them.

Police confirmed they were called to two reports of anti-social behaviour near Brunswick Terrace.

In the first incident, the group of 20 youths was spoken to and moved on and in the second the group had moved on before police arrived.

Patricia Grundell, who rents a beach hut opposite Greenhill, said that renters of beach huts are similarly concerned about the disruptive behaviour of youths in the area, adding that she had reservations as to whether she would rent a beach hut next year.

She said: “I am not sure I would want to walk around there at night. It’s a shame.”

Deputy Neighbourhood Inspector Darren Stanton, of Weymouth police, said: “At this time of year we do see a rise in anti-social behaviour along the whole of the Esplanade, not just Brunswick Terrace, involving a mix of people of all ages who become anti-social, usually as a result of alcohol.

“We have been carrying out high-visibility patrols and have been visiting local residents and businesses.

“The force is continuing to work with the local authority and other local agencies to deter this behaviour and put preventative measures in place.

“We are doing all we can to address the concerns of the community and we will take action to investigate incidents of anti-social behaviour that are reported.”