Neighbourhood police officers have acknowledged the issue
The recently refurbished square in Stockwood has seen its fair share of issues in recent months.(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
Residents and business owners in Stockwood have spoken out over a rising tide of antisocial behaviour in their community. Neighbours say in recent months, groups of teenagers and even younger children have routinely gathered in a recently renovated square at one end of Hollway Road, the area’s main shopping street.
Locals claim youths have been causing trouble for people going about their daily business in the otherwise quiet Bristol neighbourhood to the south of the city.
Councillors have acknowledged an “uptick” in complaints and say police have secured funding to step up foot patrols. They said not all of the people involved are believed to be local, instead travelling to congregate there.
Two shop owners in the area spoke to Bristol Live on the condition of anonymity, because they were scared about repercussions if they were identified. “It’s intimidating, because I (work) on my own,” one shopkeeper said. “You get groups of four or five of them, sometimes as many as 12 or 13.”
Some of the children involved were as young as ten, she estimated. “The young ones are just as bad as the old ones,” she said.
The young people involved appeared to realise they were at significantly less risk of consequences with the police when they were aged under 16, she said.
Another shopkeeper, who said she had lived in Stockwood her whole life, said many elderly residents who visited her shop told her they were frightened by the continuous problems. She said she was sad about the current situation in her neighbourhood.
Stockwood business owners and residents have been the victims of anti-social behaviour by groups of children and teenagers in recent months(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
“It’s sad to see the decline in the sense that it used to be really, really nice (here),” she said. “You wouldn’t say it’s a nice place to live at the moment.”
Waiting to catch the number 2 bus to see her mother in the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Elizabeth Sampson, who has lived in Stockwood for over 40 years, said she agreed.
“It’s alright (the area), but it’s not like it used to be,” she said. “To be honest, it’s all the kids (that are the problem).”
Local resident Elizabeth Sampson said the area wasn’t “what it used to be”(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
The square where most of the children in question congregate has recently undergone refurbishment, as part of a project costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. While it remains improved for the time being, Ms Sampson said she wasn’t optimistic that would be the case for long.
“That over there is lovely, at the moment,” she said. “But they rip things up and they’re abusive (so) it won’t last.”
In a joint statement, local councillors Jonathan Hucker and Graham Morris said they were aware of the “uptick” in the problem of anti-social behaviour (ASB) recently. However, the two Conservative councillors said there had been a corresponding increase in police patrols in the area to try to address the issue.
“We are aware of concerns about ASB in the area around the square and the Co-op,” they said. “There has been an uptick recently.
“We think that some of the offenders come from outside of the area. We work closely with the Neighbourhood Police Team and encourage them to provide a visible presence. The NPT have secured additional funding in order to increase the number of foot patrols in the area.”
One of the shopkeepers acknowledged she had seen more police in recent weeks. She said they had visited her and encouraged her to report antisocial behaviour, although that brought its own set of problems.
“I have rang (the police), but I don’t like ringing,” she said.
“Because you’re always a bit worried as well, if they (the people responsible for the behaviour) know that you’ve rang, what they’re gonna do and (if) they’re gonna chuck something through your window or something like that.”
Avon and Somerset Police’s neighbourhood page for Stockwood acknowledges an ongoing issue with anti-social behaviour around Holloway Road shops. Its latest update on the page was dated September 3, which confirmed: “The police have been supporting retailers and are now raising the location as into a ‘Problem Solving Plan’.
“A PSP is a multi – agency approach, working with the shop owners to identify the best appropriate person/business/agency to progress each action agreed. A neighbourhood policing team officer has been allocated to be the Officer in the Case. Once the plan is approved it will be shared.
“A PSP is a national recognised approach to resolving long term matters.”