Anti-social behaviour caused by louts in the city centre drinking in the streets is a problem often raised in our cities in general and for Bradford in particular.

A quick trawl through any online forum or comments about the city will soon back that assertion. So positive action by Bradford Council to tackle this issue is welcomed.

The Council acted to apply for an Asbo against persistent nuisance Dean Hale at the magistrates’ court yesterday – and to its credit, the court backed the order.

The order means he has been banned from a number of areas in the city for three years.

Too many people in the city centre are affected by drunks using abusive language and behaving in a threatening manner.

And with work gradually drawing to a belated close on the City Park, action has to be taken to ensure that the atmosphere matches what is likely to be an impressive set of surroundings when that scheme is completed.

For many, the thought of whiling away a pleasant couple of hours in Centenary Square would currently be a non-starter because of the thought of the anti-social element around.

The promise by the Council that there will be more such Asbos must be followed through.

There is a lot of work going on to make the city a more pleasant place to live and work.

But any number of new shops or businesses or open spaces will make little difference if decent people don’t want to use them because of an element that persists in anti-social and yobbish behaviour.

The Asbos have to continue. And there may be a number of people who are no longer welcome in Bradford city centre in the not too distant future.