Key Points
- Kent Police has introduced dispersal orders in parts of Thanet and Whitstable to give officers stronger powers against nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
- The measures cover Broadstairs, Westwood Cross shopping centre, central Ramsgate, Margate town centre, and Whitstable town centre, seafront, and railway station.
- The orders allow officers to tell suspected troublemakers to leave and, if they return or refuse, arrest them.
- Police can also seize items used in an anti-social way, including loud music equipment.
- Kent Police said the action follows a rise in summer crowding and reports of disorder on coastal beaches and in town centres.
- Superintendent Pete Steenhuis said the force wants coastal towns to remain places where the public can enjoy warm weather safely.
- Kent Police also said it is using targeted patrols, increased resources, and preventative work with young people to reduce repeat problems.
Thanet, Kent (king County Insider) July 4, 2026 – Kent Police has brought in dispersal orders across parts of Thanet and Whitstable as officers respond to anti-social behaviour linked to busy summer weather, crowded beaches, and town-centre disorder. The force says the powers are intended to let officers move on people suspected of causing nuisance and to act quickly if they return.
Why were the powers introduced?
As reported by KentOnline / KMTV, from the video package by Nailah Mohomed, Kent Police said it had recorded more than 10,000 antisocial behaviour reports between June and August last year, including repeated reports about the same incidents. The force said coastal towns often see increased disorder when weather improves and visitor numbers rise.
The report also said businesses in some beach areas were forced to close for safety reasons during the hotter weeks of May and June after crowds were described as “running riot” on the beaches in Whitstable, Herne Bay, Broadstairs, and Margate.
Which areas are covered?
According to the police measures described in the reporting, Broadstairs, Westwood Cross shopping centre, central Ramsgate, and Margate town centre are included in a 48-hour dispersal order that began at 2 p.m. on Friday. The same approach also applies to people behaving anti-socially on or near beaches and railway stations.
A separate dispersal order is in place for Whitstable, covering the town centre, railway station, and seafront. Under the rules, anyone who returns after being told to leave risks custody.
What do the orders allow police to do?
The dispersal orders give officers the authority to ask suspected offenders to move on immediately. If people fail to comply or return after being told to leave, police may arrest them.
Kent Police also said items being used in an anti-social manner, such as loud music equipment, may be seized. The force said this is part of a wider effort to prevent nuisance behaviour before it escalates into more serious disorder.
What did Kent Police say?
Superintendent Pete Steenhuis of Kent Police said the county’s coastal towns are “wonderful places to enjoy the warm, sunny weather” and that the force wants to keep them that way. He said the “overwhelming majority” of people behave responsibly and that anyone who seeks to spoil that atmosphere should expect to be dealt with “swiftly and robustly.”
The broader Kent Police coverage also said officers have increased resources, adjusted shifts, and targeted known hotspots based on data from previous summers. The force said it is also working with partners on prevention, especially around young people in areas such as Herne Bay and Whitstable.
What has happened in previous incidents?
The KentOnline / KMTV report said that over the half-term week and bank holiday weekend in Broadstairs, police issued more than 90 dispersals in response to the behaviour of some young people. The same report noted that residents interviewed in Margate gave mixed views, with one saying they did not see much anti-social behaviour and another saying police were not always present when needed.
BBC reporting on a similar coastal policing effort said 19 people were moved on from Kent coast town centres during one weekend operation, showing that dispersal orders have already been used as an active enforcement tool in the county’s seaside towns.
How is police strategy changing?
Kent Police said it is using previous reports to identify recurring trouble spots and to concentrate officers where problems are most likely to appear. The force has also said prevention matters, including diversion work aimed at children and teenagers through partner agencies and activities such as sports programs.
At the same time, officers said they will still use formal enforcement when needed, including community protection notices and arrests for people who cross the line from nuisance into criminal conduct.
What is the wider context?
The Kent coast has faced repeated seasonal pressure in recent summers, especially when hot weather brings larger crowds to beaches, promenades, and town centres. That pattern has led police to treat anti-social behaviour as both a public-order and a community-safety issue, not just a matter of disorder on the seafront.
The reporting indicates that police are trying to balance enjoyment of coastal areas with restrictions aimed at protecting businesses, residents, and visitors. The measures are temporary, but they reflect a wider strategy of visible patrols, targeted enforcement, and early intervention.
What is the background of this development?
Kent coastal towns have faced repeated summer spikes in disorder linked to large crowds, warm weather, and drinking in public places. Police reporting and media coverage show the issue has been building over multiple seasons, with repeated dispersals, arrests, and targeted patrols in places such as Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate, Herne Bay, and Whitstable.
The current action follows the same pattern: police identify hotspots, deploy officers more heavily, and use legal powers such as dispersal orders when nuisance behaviour rises. The force says the aim is to prevent smaller incidents from becoming wider public-order problems.
What is the prediction for local residents and businesses?
For residents, the new powers may mean a clearer police presence and faster intervention if anti-social behaviour builds around beaches, stations, and town centres. For businesses, especially those near the seafront or high streets, the measures could reduce the chance of disruptions that drive customers away or force early closures.
For visitors, the likely effect is stricter enforcement during busy summer periods, especially in the named coastal areas. If the approach works, it may help keep public spaces calmer; if not, police may continue to rely on recurring dispersal orders and targeted operations during peak weather periods.
