Night-Time Economy Systems Maps
Mapping the night-time economy at a local level to reduce unequal harms
No council strategy for a safe city centre venue for young people
Source of power:
State
Space of power:
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Description:
Young people have reported that they feel the police may use their dispersal powers if they frequent the city centre. The police have used these powers to tackle knife crime and are free to use these powers in the city centre at night. Young people have reported that they do not feel there is a place in the city centre for them to go to and that they only feel safe being in public in their local area. This wasn't felt to be highly area-specific or gang-related. Participants felt young people should be given a voice and listened to, to get their perspective on these issues. One participant highlighted a need for a "city vision" which may include a venue for young people in the city centre, close to the bus station as this is their "in and out" of the centre. This has been challenging to deliver as the council has made it difficult to obtain space for this, through high rents, etc. A location at the "other end of the city, away from the bus station" was therefore used, which was felt to put young people at risk as it is "close to the night-time economy" part of the city. Participants felt a "clear vision" or planning would have helped to avoid this happening.
Quotes from participants:
~ "...young people feeling that they can’t come into city centres because of the police using our dispersal powers..."
~ "young people... didn’t feel there was a place in the city centre for them to go to, and… didn’t feel safe coming out. They feel safe in their local area, they might feel semi-safe in the district next to them, and they wouldn’t necessarily feel safe in the city centre…"
~ "...we’ve not got the postcode zones that we perhaps had ten years ago with gangs… but there’s definitely still some territory impact."
~ "...giving them [young people] a voice, actually are we going to listen to them, because it’d be interesting to know their view on some of this..."
~ "I think there is something about planning... In terms of, like, a city vision... for a venue for young people in the city centre, close to the bus station because it’s their in and out. Struggled to do that, because... [the council] has made it very difficult for organisations to get that space. High rents... ended up using a location that’s across the other end of the city… that’s the bit that puts young people at exposure, because they’re close to the nighttime economy bit. If we had a clear vision or we planned these things, then I think we could have helped facilitate, reducing that exposure"