VIDEO: Police Commissioner Matthew Ellis hears concerns about Hanley safety
POLICE and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis has pledged to help make the city centre safer after pensioners complained they were afraid to go there at night.
Members of the North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention said they could not wait to leave Hanley after a trip to the theatre because of the behaviour of drunken and violent revellers.
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Matthew Ellis addressing the North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention.
Mr Ellis, who fielded questions at yesterday's Grey Power public meeting, said he was keen to work with Stoke-on-Trent City Council to tackle the issue.
Retired police officer Maurice Woolliscroft told Mr Ellis the city centre became 'a zoo' after dark.
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The 76-year-old, from the Staffordshire Moorlands, said: "Calling it the Cultural Quarter is clearly a misnomer. If we go to the theatre or the cinema we have got to get out of town afterwards because it is a zoo. I would like to know how this is going to be addressed."
Mr Ellis told the meeting: "I have been out twice in Hanley late on Friday nights. It was lively.
"The city council is doing a big piece of work at the moment around reviewing the night time economy and the outcome of that remains to be seen.
"From what I have seen there are issues around the times that places can open until, and there is quite a big differential between the time the pubs close and the time the takeaways close.
"The city council has big aspirations to change the feel of Stoke-on-Trent. There's clearly some scepticism about whether they will be able to do that, but I want to work closely with them to find solutions to this."
The council is currently carrying out an inquiry into Hanley's night-time economy which could lead to bars being hit by a 2am curfew.
A council committee is gathering evidence from licensees, business owners, police and shoppers to draw up recommendations for the cabinet about how to revive evening trade to bring in more visitors and reduce outbreaks of violence. Councillor Duncan Walker, who is on the committee, said: "We want our city centre to appeal to all age groups offering a wide range of retail, leisure and entertainment activities.
"Through this review, I hope that there will be a number of recommendations that will help us achieve our goal of stimulating the night time economy."
Staffordshire's Chief Constable Mike Cunningham recently warned the city's night-time economy was being overtaken by alcohol-related crime after figures revealed that violent crime in Hanley more than doubles after 9pm.
3 Comments
by Backdoored
Saturday, March 09 2013, 2:18PM
“Well, I far from being described as 'geek'... so can only guess that I am in luck with this one; because I simply click on the 'start chevron' at the bottom left-hand corner of the 'time-bar'... as per normal.
The latter suggests a problem at your end. Why don't you consider 'phoning Elksie at the Sentinel -the IT Sentinel website man.... he should be able to help -he's helped me in the past -on all sorts of mysteries of IT.
The relevant clip comes on after abut 20/30 seconds into the video.”
by Jobeeone
Saturday, March 09 2013, 11:08AM
“Backdoored can you tell us how you got onto the video as we ae having probs doing so”
by Backdoored
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 11:10PM
“I've just listened to the video recording -and it was of a very poor quality. Amongst other things, what caught my ear was a reference to the Dimension Scandal (still more to come out)... and some 'funny business' going on over at Meir Park Community Centre -'financial irregularitie' -
On both issues, the point the Questioner from the floor was making, was that though the Police became involved in both at the initial stages of their investigations -IT WAS DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE THE MATTERS FURTHER -'IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST'.....?
The Questioner added.... (quote) "that in both cases there was great influence from the Masonic Lodge" -Unquote. For those not familiar with terms such as 'Masonic Lodge' -the Questioner was referring to the Freemasons' HQ at Howard Place, Shelton.... which has long been a concern of many who consider the Freemasons as detrimental to the 'democratic process'.”