Bayfair management are taking action to create a safer environment around the shopping centre after video footage showing a group of youths fighting in the carpark emerged this week.

Bayfair Shopping Centre manager Steve Ellingford told SunLive a new taskforce and new measures are being implemented to make the Bayfair community a safe environment for all.

Bayfair is looking at new measures to stop disorderly behaviour in and around the shopping mall.

The comments come after SunLive published a video showing young people fighting and verbally abusing a motorist outside Bayfair on Sunday. It was uploaded online and on Facebook. Watch footage here.

Steve says Bayfair is taking charge of its youth violence and met with local police on Tuesday.

'We would like to encourage anyone who sees unfavourable or unsafe behaviour of any kind at the centre to inform centre staff immediately,” says Steve.

The videoed altercation took place between a group of youths near the underpass link into the centre's Maunganui and Girven Road car park.

'As a hub of the community and a location of public transport services, we have a busy thoroughfare in our car park areas,” says Steve.

'It is unfortunate that the teenagers involved in this particular case did not resolve their differences peacefully. The incident was shut down swiftly thanks to local police, who were called to the scene immediately.

'We proactively encourage a peaceful shopping environment and to minimise this type of unfavourable behaviour, Bayfair has increased security guard presence during busy times such as after-school hours and school holidays.”

Steve says security guards are provided with additional training in handling altercations, and Maori wardens have been brought in to regularly patrol the centre.

'In addition, our car parks are well-lit and monitored by CCTV cameras to ensure the safety of our shoppers.”

Police are adopting a zero tolerance approach to any trespass breaches, anti-social or criminal behaviour in and around the Bayfair area.

Any offenders identified will be apprehended and will likely face criminal charges, says Mount Maunganui Acting Senior Sergeant Phil Gillbanks.

Bayfair is the only covered shopping mall in the Western Bay of Plenty, and is a natural attractant to young people from across the area to travel to and generally hang out, says Phil.

'In recent weeks the behaviour of a very small percentage of those young people has caused concern for some businesses and customers alike,” says Phil.

'To keep it in perspective, this issue is cyclic and is the same for many shopping malls throughout New Zealand.

'The majority of the troublemakers have been identified and trespassed from the complex. A number have also been charged with minor offences and are proceeding through the youth justice process.

'Those that were involved in the fight publicised recently have been identified and will be dealt with in the near future.”

Phil says anyone who trespasses at Bayfair is barred from not only the mall, but also the carparking area around it, which is owned and operated by the business.

'Therefore the security staff have authority up to the environ-boundaries, which is basically the surrounding roadways, berms and footpaths. In a nutshell, if you are trespassed from Bayfair Shopping Centre then it is the entire complex, including the various carparks.”

Police are working very closely with the Bayfair management, Bayfair security staff and Maori Wardens to increase visible patrols in the complex and car parking areas with the aim of ensuring that the Bayfair Shopping Centre remains a safe and friendly environment for the whole community, says Phil.