Anti-social behaviour considered more acceptable in areas with poor reputations

Participants felt that because Manchester Road is not a "well-respected” area, people feel it is acceptable to go there to “misbehave". They also felt Swindon's bad reputation and social norms may be discouraging people from coming there for a "good night out" and encouraging "bad behaviours" such as gambling, street drinking and youth loitering. It was reported that manual labour jobs are associated with a 'lad's culture' of normalised drinking, smoking and gambling, in and outside the workplace. It was also reported that Swindon’s status as an "industrial town" with no university contributes to a prevailing culture of higher education disengagement.