Kicking off good style. There was a palpable tension in the city when I was there last year. Business owners of all persuasions regularly referring to the feral 'scumbags' who are everywhere looking for opportunities to make a quick punt by nicking whatever they can from tourists and shops in the centre. Drink and drugs a major issues in the whole city.
We were in a restaurant owned by a Syrian lad (the food was fantastic) and a drunken scumbag staggered past and helped himself to a pint from the terrace bar. He fucked off and came back a few minutes later at which time I politely pointed him out to the owner. Two way abuse ensued before the syrian fella drew the 'scumbag''s attention to the bat by his side. Scumbag fucked off sharpish.
But there were homeless everywhere, especially when you get off the main streets. And there were locals as far as I could see. The Syrian fella who was an asylum seeker and used to conflict said they're everywhere and making it very difficult to run a business.
The perfect breeding ground for right wing racists.
Never saw any issues in any other town or village, and there a middle eastern and european workers everywhere..
