Benches around a tree near the Central Bus Terminal have been removed by the Corporation of Hamilton after reports of antisocial behaviour and other incidents in the area.

A City spokeswoman said “inappropriate conduct, littering and the accumulation of discarded bottles and other waste” also occurred near the spot on Victoria Street.

She said the decision to remove the benches was made after meeting with other stakeholders and “to help ensure the area remains clean, welcoming and accessible to all members of the public, particularly those using the nearby bus terminal”.

The spokeswoman did not say when the benches were taken away, but that the City had removed others from locations where they had become “associated with persistent behavioural issues or activities that negatively impact the surrounding environment and the comfort of other public-space users”.

People who own and manage businesses in Cedar Parkade, directly across from the bus terminal on Washington Street South, shared mixed feelings about the benches being removed.

One business owner, who did not wish to be identified, said senior citizens who used the benches now have fewer places to sit.

She said: “This has not stopped antisocial behaviour in the area, as kids still come and congregate [around the bus terminal].”

Judyann Bean, the owner of Exotic Creations, said arguments and fights have taken place at the bus terminal since she first opened the business in Cedar Parkade about 14 years ago.

She added: “Removing the benches is a start [to addressing antisocial behaviour], as many people just hung out over there and did not have jobs — I did not even notice that the benches were gone.”

A manager at another nearby business said he is unaffected by the change.

He said: “It doesn’t really matter to me; antisocial behaviour has not stopped since they have been removed.”

The City spokeswoman added that while there are no plans to immediately reinstate the benches around the tree, the City continues to “monitor its public spaces and assess the suitability of seating and other amenities as needed”.