A Romford councillor has lauded a new rule which bans some face coverings in the town centre, claiming that businesses needed to “show some kind of strength” to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Nisha Patel told the Recorder that she was concerned about “youths” coming into the town centre with their faces covered.

The Conservative councillor for St Edwards ward said that she thought the new measures for Romford town centre, which bans hoodies, helmets or ski masks that cover the face, were “brilliant”.

The new rule, formed out of a collaboration between Havering Council, police and businesses, came into force earlier this week.

These stakeholders claimed that the measures were necessary to tackle a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area.

They said that the rules would also apply to delivery drivers, but that the wearing of face coverings for health or religious reasons would still be permitted.

Cllr Patel, who also owns a newsagents in Collier Row, added: “I think the rules will make business owners feel safer as well.

“I own a small shop and I feel quite intimidated when people come in and they don’t take their balaclava or helmet off.

“I hear from a lot of people who think our town centre is going downhill because of this.

“Youths are coming from outside the borough as well because they see we are a soft touch and that there isn’t enough policing.

“We need to show some sort of strength that we will not put up with this.”

Many other businesses in the area told the Recorder that they support the new measures, including South Street clothing store, Utter Nutter.

Shop manager Sanjay Yagnik said: “Personally, we’ve been quite fortunate, we’ve not had any issues as such.

“But I’m definitely in favour of it. I think when a group of kids hang around in face masks it’s definitely intimidating. It doesn’t look good for the community.

“I think the general consensus will be in favour of that, I know there are a few shops that do get a lot of grief.”

Romford Business Improvement District (BID) was a key proponent of the new rules and has been working with shops to ensure the ban is enforced correctly.

Ian Woolley, South Street Primark manager, said that while a ban on face coverings was not a Primark policy, his store would help local enforcement of the new rules.

He explained: “It’s not like we have particular issues or anything like that.

“BID wants to crackdown on some of the young people who have been causing mayhem and the way they can do it is to go through the retailers and the shopping centres to get us on board.

“It’s not something we’ve got a policy in place for but we will try and support the local council as much as we can to make Romford a better place.”