Youths in the Division St / Riccarton Bus Exchange area are causing havoc for retailers.

Gangs of youths spitting, swearing and damaging property are terrorising a street in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton.

At least one retailer is quitting the area in the face of direct intimidation by youths running amok in the troubled Division St / Riccarton Bus Exchange area.

The Art of Sewing managing director Sandra Arnott confirmed this week she would not renew her lease, which expires May 1, and was relocating elsewhere following an incident in February that forced a lockdown.

IAIN MCGREGOR/FAIRFAX NZ Police were called after a youth stalked the streets in the Division St / Bus exchange area swinging a baseball bat.

Customers would be informed by flyers.

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The incident erupted after Arnott took photos of five youths tagging the neighbouring Farmers building.

"They took umbrage and started booting the door and spitting at the windows. I had four customers and thank goodness one of them was a retired police officer's wife. Police arrived an hour and a half later. We had to reduce our hours as a direct result," she said.

"I've had enough."

Last week police were called as one teen, who had just turned 13, stalked the streets in the precinct swinging a baseball bat, then concealing it down his shorts.

Other retailers said customers felt intimidated.

One manager recounted youths loitering across their shop frontage, spitting and swearing.

"We've had enough of food and smears on our windows, along with the tagging. The younger girls are the most foul-mouthed. In one incident, a couple of older guys, maybe 20-22, were relatively polite and told the kids it was time to move on. These kids are not all bad but seem to get in with a bad core."

Hornby police community services manager Dan Harker said numerous operations had been carried out.

"We are very aware crime has increased since the bus exchange was built. It is a meeting ground for lot of local youths and with that comes petty offending and other offences. A lot of these teens think they're top dog. We do respond appropriately if needed."

Halswell Hornby Wigram Community Board deputy chair Helen Broughton said the board may have to request targeted policing to cover trouble periods such as 5pm-9pm.

She understood from police evidence at a Liquor Licensing Hearing last week that a new hard-core element had entered the scene under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Councillor Vicki Buck confirmed she was working with police, looking at design options and other actions such as redirecting calls from Christchurch central police to Hornby police.