Only King Charles III and his neighbours see more anti-social behaviour than people living in centre of Blackpool

Only King Charles III and his neighbours see more anti-social behaviour on their doorstep than people living in the centre of Blackpool.

Figures published by the police show that more than 2,000 incidents of anti-social behaviour were recorded in Central Blackpool last year. These incidents range from vandalism to verbal abuse, intimidation and harassment.

When compared to the size of the population, that amounted to the equivalent of 297 incidents of ASB for every 1,000 residents, the highest rate in Lancashire and far higher than the national average of 17 per 1,000 people. It was also the second highest rate in England and Wales, behind only the Strand, St James & Mayfair neighbourhood of Westminster – which includes Buckingham Palace, the King’s official residence.

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After that, Preston town centre was the next highest in Lancashire. This area recorded 180 crimes of ASB per 1,000 residents and then South Promenade & Seasiders Way in Blackpool (173 per 1,000 residents).

At the other end of the spectrum, Lancaster’s Kellet & Lune Valley neighbourhood was the safest in Lancashire for ASB, with seven incidents for every 1,000 residents. A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said: “During the pandemic, with many more people at home, there was a significant rise in reporting of anti-social behaviour. Since the lifting of restrictions and many people returning to normality we have seen a steady decrease in the number of reports.

“Everyone should be live their lives free from intimidation and harassment. It is important to have a multi-agency approach to tackling anti-social behaviour as the police are only one part of the solution. Force working with local authorities and other agencies to tackle ASB affecting communities.

“The public must continue to report incidents of ASB. The police, and other agencies, will use their powers to deal with persistent offenders who blight local communities.”

While some forms of anti-social behaviour can seem relatively trivial, this type of offending can have a major impact on people’s lives in the neighbourhoods where it takes place. Victim Support says many people who experience anti-social behaviour are frightened to go out and don’t feel safe in their own homes.

The charity’s chief executive, Diana Fawcett, said: “Anti-social behaviour is often thought of as low level but it can actually have a devastating impact, destroying people’s sense of safety, taking a huge toll on their mental health and massively disrupting their day to day lives.

“Many victims end up losing serious amounts of money or even needing to move house. It’s vital that the government uses the upcoming Victim’s Bill to strengthen the rights of persistent antisocial behaviour victims and improve the support available to them.”

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