A McDonald’s branch in Fort William has banned teenagers from entering on their own in the evening for the “wellbeing of staff”.
Anyone under the age of 18 will not be allowed in the An Aird branch following reports of repeated abusive behaviour from youngsters.
McDonald’s raised the matter with police in the Lochaber town and said they agreed this was the “best course of action”.
“Due to recent events, we have had to make the decision to not allow under 18s into the store after 6pm,” a branch spokesperson stated on November 19.
“This has not been an easy choice, however, we must put the wellbeing of our staff and customers first. We will not tolerate or normalise abusive behaviour towards our staff.
“Having tried various tactics and compromises with the culprits, we are left with no choice but to make a rule that effects all young people of Fort William, based on the actions of a few.
“As the nights get colder we want to be a safe and warm place for the young people of Fort William, but we cannot do this at the cost of our safety.
“I have met with local police today and they have agreed this is the best plan of action for us currently. We hope to revise this decision in future.”
The branch clarified later: “This rule will only apply when not accompanied by a responsible adult. So long as a responsible adult, such as parent or guardian is present, they will be allowed entry.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are acutely aware of the disruptive effect that anti-social behaviour has on the community in Fort William
“Local officers work closely with partners to address these issues and find meaningful solutions to direct our young people away from harmful behaviours.
“It is worth stressing that the vast majority of young people do not come to the attention of police but we know a small minority do sometimes become involved in anti-social behaviour and their actions can have a negative impact on the lives of local residents.
“We are committed to encouraging people away from this kind of behaviour but will take appropriate action where incidents are reported and offenders identified.
“Anyone who has concerns about anti-social behaviour in their area is encouraged to contact police by calling 101 as promptly as possible.”