“How are people supposed to get help when drugs are so accessible in the city centre?”
Crime in the area has ‘increased over the summer’, according to local councillors(Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)
People living and working in an area on the edge of Liverpool city centre have voiced growing concerns over crime, drug use and urban decay. Vauxhall ranks among the most deprived in England in the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
At the heart of local concern is Leeds Street, one of the city’s busiest routes connecting the city centre with the northern docklands and surrounding residential areas. The situation on the street is causing serious problems for families and businesses nearby, with some describing it as “lawless” and “utterly depressing”.
Leeds Street has long been a dividing line in Liverpool’s urban landscape, separating new developments from some of the city’s most deprived communities. While shiny new tower blocks and office spaces have appeared in recent years, parts of Leeds Street remain untouched by regeneration.
In 2006, plans were approved to build a YMCA on the major route. The ECHO previously reported Liverpool councillors had approved the scheme after planners told them it should not affect residents and would make a “positive contribution” to the area.
The YMCA on Leeds Street(Image: Liverpool Echo)
In recent years, however, the area has become a hotspot for drug use, rough sleeping, and antisocial behaviour, according to those who pass through it daily. The YMCA has said it works closely with the police and council, is committed to being a responsible member of the community and offers support to people who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness.
Many local businesses and residents are sympathetic to the need to help people suffering from substance abuse issues and affected by homelessness but say they are on the frontline of these problems. They describe constant disturbances and a growing sense of frustration at what they see as a lack of action from the council and police.
Streets including Pall Mall, Highfield Street, Vauxhall Road, Marybone and Midgall Street have all been highlighted as particular problem areas.
Local councillors and homelessness outreach groups have acknowledged the challenges in the area but say that the issues are “complex” and deeply rooted.
‘There’s screaming in the middle of the night; it’s scary stuff’
Danny McDonald, who lives in Princes Gardens, said the problem is “huge” and “relentless”. He told the ECHO: “I’ve lived here for four years and the issues have become so much worse. It’s like The Walking Dead. It just flares up and you think, ‘this isn’t normal’.
“We’ve had break-ins, we’ve had bikes stolen, we’ve had cars set on fire, and we’ve had bins set on fire.
“There are people just sh***ing by the bins. We’ve found a few bags on the side of the road. You can tell they’re students’ bags which have been robbed and emptied and left on the street.
“Tree surgeons found needles and all sorts by the trees. People are shooting up in the bin stores. Cars parked in the complex have been broken into. There’s screaming in the middle of the night; it’s scary stuff. It’s terrifying for the kids. It seems that the council and police have just given up on the area.”
Danny McDonald, who works at Shenanigans pub and is a resident of Princes Gardens(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Danny, who also oversees the admin at Shenanigans pub on nearby Tithebarn Street, said the staff feel “unsafe”.
He said: “There was a morning a few weeks ago where the staff were afraid to open the shutters because there was a group of people fighting outside.
“They can’t park their cars outside the pub anymore because the windows are getting put through. We had a lady the other week whose car was set on fire. She came in for a pint and went on into town and left her car parked outside the pub. When she came back the next day, it had been towed by the council.
“It seems to be a portion of people living in the YMCA and a community of drug-takers who just hang around this area, up to the junction of Leeds Street and Vauxhall Road, where there are loads of vacant buildings.
“These people with addiction issues need support. But the YMCA and the council are doing the opposite of that. The current strategy for businesses seems to be implementing CCTV and calling the police every time there’s an issue. But I think the only answer is a 24/7 police presence in this area or moving the YMCA to a more suitable area.
“How are these people supposed to get help when drugs are so accessible in the city centre? You watch them over years and they just get worse and worse. And then one day you don’t see them anymore and you question, ‘Have they gone somewhere else? Have they been arrested? Or have they died?’ It’s really sad.
“We’re seeing the results of a broken system – rising homelessness, a public health crisis in drug addiction, and cuts to vital support services. This area has become a symbol of those failures.”
In August alone, 120 crimes were reported in the Vauxhall area, including 32 instances of violence and sexual offences, 18 incidents involving drugs and 16 cases of antisocial behaviour, according to data from Merseyside Police.
‘I don’t know what to do anymore’
But the actual number of crimes is thought to be much higher, according to the owner of the family-run Vauxhall Minimarket, Khaled Al-Suraimi. Khaled, 43, says he “rarely” calls police over theft because he feels it is a “waste of time”.
Khaled Al-Suraimi, who owns Vauxhall News(Image: Liverpool Echo)
He said: “I’m not going to call police because someone has stolen a packet of biscuits. But the problem is that this is happening every day. Every day people come in and steal things.
“When I confront people over stealing, a lot of the time they become aggressive. I’ve been spat on before for trying to stop someone stealing.
“I’m a nice guy. But when it’s constantly one problem after another, it just makes you fed up. I don’t know what to do anymore. My two 18-year-old sons work here and it’s just not safe to leave them on their own here.
“I have a few regulars who come in and they’re homeless. They tell me even they get robbed sometimes. Even last year, it wasn’t this bad. For the last few months, the faces seem to be changing almost every week.”
Liverpool City Council has pledged to invest in targeted regeneration and social support in problem areas, but many say visible signs of decline on the edge of the city centre show that action is not happening fast enough.
There are also growing calls for increased police presence, specialist outreach teams, and long-term investment in addiction services.
‘It’s a constant battle’
Darragh McGrath, who lives in Hamilton House on Pall Mall, described the issues faced by residents as a “constant battle”. He said: “There seem to be more and more people every few months, new faces. They’re in bigger groups and a lot more brazen with their efforts to access and break into the building.
“I used to feel sorry for these people but that has long passed. When they’re negatively affecting your space and where you live, you lose all sympathy. They’re breaking into the building, breaking doors and shutters, abusing people who live and work in the area, breaking into cars, openly smoking crack. What’s next?”
Councillor Nick Small, City Centre North Labour councillor, said he and fellow councillor Christine Banks are aware of the growing problems, which have worsened over the summer.
He said: “My ward colleague, Christine Banks, and I have been aware of these issues, which have increased over the summer and have included incidents of crime and disorder as well as anti-social behaviour.
“We’ve been working closely with Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and agencies supporting homeless people. The causes of what’s been happening are complex and need a joined up response involving everyone working together. We’re committed to working constructively with all agencies, residents and businesses to resolve these issues.”
A spokesperson for YMCA said: “We continue to work closely with Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and local residents to address any concerns raised and to maintain a safe environment for everyone.
“Our Leeds Street service provides vital support and accommodation to people who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness, and we remain committed to being a responsible and responsive part of the community.”
Anti-social behaviour orders
Local Policing Inspector Chris Taylor said the force is aware of the issues and tackling antisocial behaviour is an “everyday commitment”.
He said: “In the last few weeks, we have issued 21 anti-social behaviour warnings to individuals suspected of committing offences in this particular area.
“We also recently arrested and charged Ryan Kimber, 34, of no fixed abode, with theft from a motor vehicle after a car was broken into on Pumpfields Road.
“There also plans to introduce improved lighting and CCTV on Leeds Street and nearby roads, with regular high-visibility patrols in the area.
“Members of the community should feel safe when going about their daily lives and that is why tackling ASB is an everyday commitment for us and our partners.
“We continue to work closely with Liverpool City Council, local residents, businesses and Liverpool Business Improvement District (BID) to target and apprehend persistent offenders and we use a number of powers at our disposal.
“These include criminal behaviour orders, S34 orders which give police officers and police community support traffic officers powers to direct people who are engaging in antisocial behaviour or are likely to become involved in such incidents, and s60 orders which give enhanced stop and search powers.
“It is also vital that residents, businesses and visitors report concerns to police, and not assume that someone else has done, so that we are able to take prompt action.”
Always call 999 if a crime is in progress. You can pass any information on anti-social behaviour via the social media desk @MerPolCC or call 101.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.