No go Britain? Midlands

Your reports

Blackpool
Enduring problems of drug related crime in Blackpool mean the authorities simply turn a blind eye, whether in the suburbs or town centre, by day or night, with minors or adults. It is well documented that this town has been in a severe economic decline for decades which in itself has been a major force in the rise of antisocial behaviour as more and more people are marginalised and excluded. This background, coupled with the seasonal, transitory nature of residents means much of the town centre is a no go area during daylight hours as much as at night time. This takes the form of violent assaults, robbery, burglary, theft, drug dealing, intimidation and drunken disorder on a scale I have never witnessed in any other town or city that I have lived in. The drug hungry economy (largely cocaine, steroids, crack and heroin) has spawned a wholesale increase of prostitution throughout the town centre almost as though it is preparing for the arrival of the much vaunted supercasino development. If anyone thought that a casino would be good for Blackpool, they should perhaps recognise this as one of the most deprived and violent of areas, it is out of control. Take your choice of the screaming, scabby, whithered heroin addicts sat outside St John's church, or the steroid pumped cocaine lads whose entertainment is fighting.....and all this before you consider the impact of tens of thousands of hen and stag parties every weekend descending from all the other most deprived areas of the country to piss and vomit over any stationary object they please. What an inviting mixture.

Nottingham
Nottingham is a great City, with vibrant and successful shoppoing, leisure and night time economies. It is then surrounded by poor, deprived areas with challenging agendas for imprioving education, health and the impacts of crime and antisocial behaviour. There are no "no go" areas. On the contrary, the police and council have worked effectively together to tackle key issues - Gun crime has reduced massively from 2002 and 2003; all crime has come down year on year since 2002; street begging is now a none issue; street prostitution is a very low levels; numerous ASBOs have been issued; etc. This place is doing ok. We are on the up. Don't trash it as part of a sensational styled broadcast.

Oldbury
Police have failed to stop yobs shouting hurling abuse at locals in the area near pool lane oldbury. They get people to buy booze for them and then taunt the area looking for trouble. Some of them i hope are stabbed one day so then at least it may get some attention to the problem. Police have been called and say thy will 'pop round tomorrow' even when yobs are hurling stones at windows of a house. The police are branded a joke and when they do turn up they are given abuse and told that nothing could be done by them to the yobs. Police are powerless but will soon be given powers to take the yobs home. This in my view is nothing. Asbos do not work and unless we see a quick change in law some kid/yob will lose their life. Its not a question of if but when someone will be killed.

Wolverhampton
Reading through some of the comments here, I am not surprised to see some from people who really feel alientated from and nervous about their home place. I have lived in basingstoke, london, newcastle upon tyne/durham county, salford, the peak district, Italy and now wolverhampton. For me the most enjoyable and honest place to live was Italy, the least.. well I think Salford. While there I did experience some crime icluding car broken into and abusive yobs. But for here in wolverhampton, I have been surprised by the city. There are some parts I would not get out of my car at night and many attract 'funding' from the generous EU font, but the part where I live is quiet where people get on with their own life. There have been a couple of police chases passing through and one attack on a house round the corner, but like others writing here, we sometimes forget to lock doors/car and have been lucky so far. The biggest worry for now is the use of a local house opposite a School to house teenagers with 'behavioral problems'. The thing that really affects teh quality of life, is the fact that nothing in this city invites me to go out after dark. Culture here, as in many other UK locaions I have lived in, is to party, drink, go numb after a day at work and perhaps get into a fight, or just stay home in front of the TV etc. etc. What is missing here is pride and self respect, not discipline and shame. And that doesn't mean arrogant denial. We live in a culture of bullies and inert indifference and powerlessness. We need to stop blaming the few and look at the values encouraged by the masses and by the things we accept without protest.

Lincoln
I grew up in Nottingham and lived there until 2000: the main reason I left was that I could not cope after I was attacked after leaving work one night, and was sexually assaulted. I lived in some of the inner city areas while I was in Nottingham - Bulwell, Radford,Sneinton, and have been assaulted, threatened, bullied, and for the whole of my school life, was terrorised both in and out of school by a gang of up to 50 youths who also assaulted my siblings, threatened my mother, and followed my Grandparents down the street threatening rape and murder. I have lived in Lincoln for 5 years: I dislike this city so intensely that it is unbearable. I will not go out to any local events on my estate: I cannot go into town for a drink with friends as drink spiking is so rife. If my partner goes for a drink in the suit he wears for work, he is threatened.... Areas of this estate are all but run by gangs of children,drugs and dealers are all over the place (new supplies of drugs are announced by a single firework by the dealer in question)one or two families with members having lived here for decades bully, intimidate and use violence to oust anyone they do not like, or who does not fit their idea of someone who should live on a council estate. I have never lived in such a closed-minded, bigoted and unpleasant place in all my life, and I can't wait to leave.

Cannock
This small and unnoticed town in the west midlands is completely over-run by children lacking any morale guidance. Last week there someone was stabbed a minutes walk from my house, a few months ago a man was stabbed on the high street whilst simply walking home with his son. This town is completely over looked when the government consider "trouble hotspots" because of its small size. Cannock town is dangerous on any night of the week. My friend was mugged at Hednesford train station. Me and my friends were chased by 10+ yobs for no reason. Heroin is the drug of choice for many locals, I know of at least 10 people by name who have gone that way, I know of 6 people who were in my year at school who have turned to it. A policeman last week said that my street was "full of druggies" yet I have never seen a policeman walk past on patrol. Boy-racers are completely ignored and free to gather in large groups, even though their reckless driving has claimed more than a few lives. This is not the rant of someone who is simply out of touch with modern culture, I am 20 and I know that this town and the surrounding towns are not safe, I would not be surprised to be seriously injured on any given night out. Birmingham may have a larger amount of crime and trouble, but at least it is properly policed.

Burton-on-Trent
The youths of this area are out of control and think nothing of damaging cars as they walk down the streets in gangs. They break into garages, garden sheds, kill pets just for fun. They openly roll and smoke drugs on your doorstep and drink alcohol.When my husband took video evidence of youths wrecking my car for evidence the tables were turned on us now we are bieng victims of harrassment. Would Ian Blair like to swap places and live here for just one day!! I think not.

Stoke-on-Trent
I don't feel safe on the streets of britain full stop. My partner works in a chemist thats robbed in broad day light on what seems like a daily basis. The police seem to think that daylight robbery is not a serious crime. I always thought it was a very serious matter indeed. It seems to me that crimes are being down graded and rape and murder will soon be dealt with with an on the spot fine.

Milton Keynes
My estate has over the last 18 - 24 months suffered with a tremendous amount of anti-social behaviour from local youths and some from out of the area. It finally came to a head for me when I returned from holiday to find my front window put through and paint thrown over the front of my house.

I decided then and there that I would take control of the situation myself. The police when I rang, refused to send anyone out. I pointed out that they were giving an open invitation to the yobs to come back, they disagreed. Guess what happened that same night.They came back in two cars to finish the job. They didn't succeed, the police finally attended.

The officer in charge was absolutely brilliant and STILL is! I told them that if they didn't stop it that night then I would. Everyone on the estate knows who is carrying out this sort of wanton vandalism. The officer said he would take responsibility for what happened on the estate from then on.

He has kept ot his word, since then just a matter of about 8 weeks ago, we have started a Neighbourhood Watch scheme that is being asked to extend to cover more of the area. This is with the help of this particular officer and some of his colleagues. He has put leaflets out on his own and our behalf. He walks the estate on foot at night and during the day to see for himself what goes on, he has arrested people in a high profile way to show the other yobs what could happen to them. We are a community working together to rid ourselves of this cancer in our society. The parents of the majority of these yobs know what is going on but either don't care or pretend it isn't one of their mindless youths that does the damage.

We have drug taking, under-age drinking, anti-social behaviour of every discription etc. going on but we as a community are determined to grab the streets back for ourselves.

A lot of critisisnm is given out to the police, what we have found around my area is that it is NOT the police officers themselves at fault but the system that they work in. The government and councils like to give a lot of spin about what they are supposed to be doing but in reality EVERYONE knows that they are failing, look at the prison crisis. The sentences giving out are often laughable if it wasn't so serious.

The officers I have dealt with up to now have been fantastic. I'm no goody goody two shoes but I do realise that a lot of these officers are doing a lot more over and above the call of duty.

They need our help as much as we need theirs! Without them what is the alternative?

Killamarsh
Having spent most of my adult life in Killamarsh, I have been appalled by the change in the village over the last 25 years. The main street and shopping centre are no-go areas at night. The litter around the village is 2-3 feet deep in the hedge bottoms. It used to be a friendly village but now that's all gone particularly as the population has increased. My wife and I are o sick of the situation that we are selling up and leaving the country.

Lenton, Nottingham
Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair said: "People are opening their doors or leaving them unlocked in a way they haven't done for 25 years."

Is this true about where you live?

My answer: Yes it is, and we havent been victims of any sort of crime in Notts in 3 years despite living in a so called bad area - Lenton.

Coventry
Coventry is a yobs paradise - virtually every area of the city has the problem of young 'hoodies' and younger 'children' hanging around and up to no good. On top, there is a growing adult male population who have sworn to deviance as a way of life, particularly driving like maniacs. I work in an Call Centre and hear the sirens at least 4 times per day, every day! No one seems to confront these delinquents; on 30/10/2006 my mother's neighbours were getting grief from two 6 year olds on a trick-or-treat round (or rather scrounging for free money & sweets). They were about to stone them after being refused until I intervened and sent them on their way - everybody else ignored them as if the incident before them did not exist!

Nottingham
Ian Blair is living in cloud cuckoo land. Both my mental & physical health have been adversely affected and quality of life has declined because of the actions and behaviour of a few teenagers. I have been attacked & hospitalized, had property stolen from me, pelted with all manner of missiles - all by one age group.

Nottingham
I have lived in Nottingham for most of my life and have never felt threatened in the city or suburbs. On the contrary, it is a vibrant and exciting place to live.

Nottingham
READING THE COMMENTS POSTED ABOUT NOTTINGHAM I AM STRUGLING TO RECOGNISE THE CITY I WORK AND LIVE IN. I RELOCATED FROM LONDON AND LOVE NOTTINGHAM, I ACCEPT I AM FORTUNATE IN THE AREA IN WHICH I LIVE BUT REALLY DO NOT AND HAVE NOT EVER UNDERSTOOD THE WAY THAT NOTTINGHAM IS PORTRAYED, IT JUST ISNT HOW IT IS IN REALITY. IF YOU INCLUDE ANYTHING ON NOTTINGHAM PLEASE MAKE IT A BALANCED VIEW, PLEASE DONT RESORT TO THE LAZY TABLOID JOURNALISM THAT CHANNEL 4 RECENTLY SUBJECTED NOTTINGHAM TO, THANKS.

Halesowen
I have lived in Halesowen all my life and i have seen a rapid decline in the state of the town. This is in large part down to a block of flats in near-by Colley Gate being knocked down and their tennants moved into apartments in Halesowen. This is a huge mistake by Halesowen council as these flats had a long history of being "rough" and a haven for drug abusers. The relocation of these undesirable elements of society into an area filled with families with young children and the elderly has not only caused gangs of youths roaming the streets but children who would otherwise have grown up repectable young men and women are being caught up in a culture of drugs and disorderly behaviour. Something must be done!

Long Eaton
As a 59-year old male I still have no qualms about being out in Long Eaton late at night, nor in central Nottingham. The Meadows, St.Annes and Hyson Green etc. are another story. We have never felt threatened going to concerts in Nottingham and I sometimes meet friends of a similar age for a drink and come back on the late bus about midnight - with a good-natured crowd of young people. But the fear of violent crime outruns the reality among the more staid car-bound set. They create their own very circumscribed ghettoes.

Ladywood, Birmingham
I lived for some years in the inner-city Birmingham area of Ladywood,not somewhere you'd want to walk around after dark. It has the highest level of crimes in the city in most categories, especially car crime and muggings. Other problems included litter, graffiti, drugs but then all cities have such problems in some areas. However, I decided enough was enough and moved out to suburban Sutton Coldfield. Here I've found few if any of the problems mentioned and it actually feels safe after dark, so I could never live in the inner city again.

Northfield, Birmingham
The particular area i live in had a terrible time with gangs of yobs going around causing mayhem and spraying graffiti everywhere. Going out meant feeling very intimidated. Things seem to have quietened down a bit lately but there is still the problem of graffiti.

Nottingham
I live in the suburbs of Nottingham and have never seen any violence at all. Nottingham has some awful innercity areas that surround the centre such as St Anns and Radford -where they are now building new blocks for students.

Northampton
I feel safe in my home and neighborhood during the day, I frequently leave my home unlocked. At night I do not feel so comfortable outside, I walk quickly and avoid eye contact with people, but I cannot justify this with any examples for my neighborhood, it is just a gut reaction. However there are cetainly places in Northampton that I would not walk through at night as I would feel very vulnerable there.

Noth Cotswolds
We are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in England. However, even here we cannot leave our doors and windows open. The reason ? All the crooks know that there are no police and as a result our break-ins are at a dreadful level. It takes the police about 20 minutes to get into the area !

Oswestry
My comment goes against the grain here, suffice to say that there are towns still out there where you feel safe walking the streets at night. I moved back to Oswestry in April after living abroad with my family for nine years. I regularly walk in the evenings ten minutes each way to the corner shop, I've never felt threatened and I usually only pass two or three other people on foot. I often forget to lock my car at night, but there have never been attempts to enter. I've haven't seen a burglar alarm on any house in my area because people don't feel the need for them. Surprisingly house prices here are still quite low (£142000 for a 3-bedroom semi). My fear is that Oswestry is going to end up like other towns mentioned here. No doubt others might have other experiences living here, I just want to say it's not all bad.

Nottingham
Dozens of hooded youths run amok 24 hours a day, smoking, drinking and taking drugs. Many are persistent repeat violent offenders yet nothing is done about it. This is where many ASBO families are shunted. Children as young as five years old have been spotted defaecating in the holes in the golf course.

Northampton
I have lived in Northampton all my adult life and have never witnessed any of these vast swathes of people staggering around drunk, hurling abuse at passers-by. Northampton isn¿t bad but it is far from perfect.

Nottingham
I have lived in Nottingham most of my life and have never seen, let alone experienced, the problems Nottingham is famous for. Every city has its poor and more dangerous areas and Nottingham is no exception. TV shows depicting crime in the city do nothing to help the problem.

Northampton
Northampton on a Friday & Saturday night is a no go area. Full of teenagers & twenty/thirtysomethings all drunk and staggering around in the middle of the road shouting and verbally abusing passers by. What was once a pleasent town has now deteriorated into nothing more than a hellhole that should be avoided at all costs.

Radford, Nottingham
I lived in Radford, Nottingham for 2 years while I was at uni. In this time there were 3 shootings, countless stabbings, one burnt down house (arson) and countless burnt out cars, and regular drugs raids, just on my street - all 200 yards of it. After having my jaw broken when I was assaulted, my brother (and flat mate) being smashed in the face with a broken bottle and seeing someone shot dead in broad daylight, all within a few weeks, I dropped out of uni. Of course there were other factors, however the area I was living in heavily contributed. As a student i couldn't afford to live anywhere else and so suffered because of the police's attitude of 'if we take action here, it will only move to another area'. There is definately a lack of policing in Nottingham, the police station down the road from me in Sneinton is eerily quiet whenever I pass it. The city centre at night is a 'no-go zone' after 8pm - just last week a family friend was left in hospital for two nights after being a victim of an un-provoked attack in the city. What did the 100's of passers-by do? Nothing. The taxi drivers? Locked their doors. The buses? didn't stop. And what would I have done? Nothing. The law is too heavily favoured towards the offender and the police are too slow to react. The government and Sir Ian Blair need to decide whether this is the sort of society and culture Britain deserves, or whether anyone in sheltered Westminster is actually going to address it seriously.

Beechdale, Nottingham
We have our cars vandalised on a regular basis, nothing stolen just windows smashed and paint work scratched. We also have the police helicopter over head on a regular basis, often during the early hours. Gangs of hooded youths take over the area at night, smashing up those bus shelters that have not been turned into all metal monstrosities and intimidating anybody who dares to go out onto the streets. Nottingham has certainly gone down hill in recent years, no matter how much the City Council spends on spin, we still have gun crime and drunken/drug induced thuggish behaviour.

Eckington
We have gangs of youths roaming the streets and terrorising the comunity, commiting mindless acts of violence and vandalism, mostly drink and drug induced. where are all the police these days ? the government is not doing its job and should be brought to task over it.

Telford
The problem with this whole project is that it will simply unearth the sort of vile snobbery demonstrated by your commentator from 'Near Telford.' In terms of 'no go Britain' I would point out that Telford is far from the worst place in the country. As an example the shopping centre's multi-storey car parks, which in other areas are often singled out for criticism, are clean, well lit and have won awards for their safety and security. The town is rapidly expanding and attracting inward investment. Crime is down and the streets and parks are safe to walk at nights. Rather than bitterly blame the town for her discontent, I'd suggest your previous correspondent stops living in a timewarp and remind them that they have a choice. Stop fighting the inevitable march of progress and make a meaningful bid to change your postcode: MOVE!

Derby
Im not sure what planet Sir Ian Blair lives on but he certainly doesnt live in Derby. Leaving the doors unlocked here is guaranteed an empty house when you return.From Thursday to Sunday,the city centre is off limits at night to all but drunken yobs and the daytime isnt much better with gangs of "chavs" everywhere (check St Peters Street if you want proof) with their "gangsta" attitude.Here is one resident who has had enough and is leaving Derby and England for good.

Radford
Radford, my neighbourhood, is going rapidly downhill. When my 10 year old sister was attacked by 2 16 year old girls outside the Jubilee Crescent library and we asked the police why there was no CCTV, they simply replied "The trees are in the way". Still not a lot has been done, so is this what its come to, trees over the safety of lawabiding human beings? Its a disgrace.

Radford, Nottingham
Radford at night is a hell-hole. I work there, and have to walk home at night. I practically run, which seems better to me than being at least verbally abused by what are usually young men. It is disgraceful that, given the amount of technology the police have, that they don't use it - there are rarely foot police seen here at night. Gang members in Radford threaten publicans and staff where they cannot get served - and crime families still control the streets even after they kill people.

Kettering
I don't see much violence but we seem to have a problem with petty vandelism by gangs of youths. The police know who they are but can't do anything. One of the worse culprits has most of his close family in goal. As others have said, they have nothing to fear.

Near Telford
I live on a quiet, non-residential road about a mile from Madeley, Shropshire. Madeley was horribly disfigured in the late 60's as part of the creation of Telford new town. About 10 years ago my property fell under Shropshire County Council, however is now under the umbrella of Telford and Wrekin. Both my neighbour and I are campaigning for a postcode change, as I detest the current association with Telford. Telford is a soulless, scruffy and violent "town", with a motley collection of industrial estates and retail parks. It should be put down.

Birmingham
"People are opening their doors or leaving them unlocked in a way they haven't done for 25 years." They may well be in the lovely area that Sir Ian Blair lives in, sadly for the rest of us public i don't think we share the same view. I'm 22 and many of my old school friends are these yobs that people dislike so much (as do i, hence 'old friends'). Whether it be rap music, television, bad parenting, lack of punishment etc we live in a culture today where kids are trying to lead a 'gangster' life style, and they seem to believe that violence, rudeness and lack of respect for anyone will get them everything they want from life. Judging by punishments handed out by police you can hardly blame them for thinking this way either. Handing out fines for robberies and assaults says it all really, i'm sure these attacks are very distressing to the victims, and a £35 fine does not amount to the amount of fear/distress/future worry caused.

Birmingham
theres definately a racism problem, and a drugs problem. and clearly, the police are not helping in either. the drug dealers are all known, yet are never caught? how s this so? everybody in the streets knows who they are - yet the police dont? are we expected to believe this? rubbish. they are supplying more and more kids from schools and nothing is bieng done to curtail it. there are always incidents after football matches between whites and asians and it has really put fear into the hearts of many local people living close to st andrews, BCFC. the tension is always high, and it always seems that things could spark off at any given time.

Nottingham
Within three months of moving to a quiet suburban cul-de-sac we have had our house broken into, our car wing mirrors stolen, our neighbor had their car written off by yobs with baseball bats and another neighbor had their car radio stolen. Youths in hoodies walk around looking very intimidating and I am scared to go to work in case I come back to another break-in, or worse. Fireworks are let off at all times in the night and there is regularly a police helecopter hovering over our area.

Killmarsh
I've lived and worked in Killamarsh for the past 30 years and seen a friendly village transform itself into a place where people keep their heads down , only go out on foot when they have to and barricade their doors at night. This process began I think in the mid-eighties and accelerated through the nineties. The cause is clear - anti-social behaviour by young people who have no respect for anyone especially their parents. There appears to be no way to control these people, no punishment and no deterrent. To me the roots of this behaviour began in the seventies when corporal punishment was banned in schools.

Shrewsbury
I have lived in Shrewsbury town centre for 4 years, and have seen a rapid deterioration in behaviour, mainly on weekend nights.Drunken people roam the streets,cause offence, and there is violence at times.Not a good place to walk around late at night. People park cars on pavements with no thought for pedestrians or anyone other than themselves.Unaccecptable Noise levels at up to 03.30 in the morning are common in the centre of town. Also during the day I live in an apartment block with a car park and rising electronic gate. We have now on a regular basis 'youths' who hang on the gate as it rises, potentially causing hundreds of pounds of damage. The police can do nothing. They simply agree to include the car park area on their beat.

Nottingham
Yobs are out on the streets night after night lighting fireworks and being a danger to the public. One almost hit my husband and child and tonight they put one through our letterbox. I've called the police and reported it. I would like them to be charged with Arson, but I doubt the police will do anything about it. We were lucky to be out at the time, as the firework could have hit any of my children and even set the house on fire. Teenagers walk around with hoods on and behave like they are above the law and untouchable. If we say or do anything to defend ourselves then we are the ones that come off worse.

Nottingham
Most city centres of any town with the present relaxed licensing laws the extra pubs/clubs will always increase the problem of yob culture. UNLESS you have sufficient police officers on the ground, controlling that area with zero tolerance and not allow any possible action to exacerbate. A Police State, no, BUT attempting to curb it without resources is wasting what little money is being used. We get want we pay for. Police Officers are needed to control the movement to and from clubs and pubs if the Licensing Trade are only interested in the financial rewards.

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