George Street
is a focus for drink fuelled antisocial behaviour. Residents and tourists regularly complain about noise nuisance generated by the trading
practices of local late night licence premises, including the Blue Rooms.
Residents are routinely exposed to noise, street urination and defecation as
well as acts of vandalism. In addition residents have often observed evidence
of public drug taking. George Street is a focus for violent crime and disorder
with police statistics appearing to show some 12% of reported violent crime in
the city taking place is this one street. Residents regularly witness violence
and anti-social behaviour, a good proportion of which goes unreported.
Much of this
crime and disorder is directly attributable to the operation of the night time
economy. George Street has the greatest density of licence premises in the city
centre; a sizable proportion of these have very late night/early morning hours
of operation. The Blue Rooms is one of the largest of these.
Residents and
visitors regularly report being disturbed by noisy crowds outside the Blue
Rooms and many elderly residents report feeling intimidated by the crowds who
often obstruct the pavement.
A large
number of families live in and around George Street and are impacted by the operation
of licenced premises. Drugs and drug taking have become an increasingly visible
feature of the night scene in this area.
Most
residents are aware of the reported
findings which form the basis of the Police recommendations to the licensing committee
and will feel that it is vital that the committee support the Police in
tackling what, on the basis of what is reported, is a centre of crime and
disorder as well as a focus for public nuisance.
