An increase in beggars is affecting town centre, say businesses

Traders in Blackpool town centre have put out an SOS over problems they are encountering due to an apparent increase in groups of beggars .

A message was posted on the Facebook page of Blackpool Bushiness News, a forum for local businesses, saying they were “fed up” that an alleyway called Cheapside was becoming a “public toilet”.

It stated: “Local business owners on Cheapside are demanding action as a recessed alleyway in the heart of the town centre has become a magnet for anti-social behaviour and public urination.

“Business owners are starting their mornings cleaning up human waste before they can even open their doors.

“It creates an unwelcoming, smelly environment right next to food establishments, driving customers away.

“The constant gathering in these blind spots intimidates shoppers and staff alike.”

Cafe owner Simon Wrigley, who co-owns the Coffee Pot on Birley Street and Number Five cafe on Cedar Square,  said: “This is the worst I’ve known it in 15 years of working in the town centre.

“I’m not sure why, but there has been a noticeable increase in groups of beggars who are hanging around during the daytime, intimidating staff and customers and using alleyways as a toilet and to shoot-up drugs.

“This not what we want in a town centre, let alone what is a top tourist town, with visitors coming in.

“I have spoken to Blackpool Council about this and in fairness the person I spoke to was sympathetic and understanding.

“But what we need is action, including an increased police involvement. As businesses we have all noticed this and something really needs to be done about it. Things are challenging enough for trade, without this.”

An employee at another business, on Birley Street, who did not wish to be named said: “It’s appalling, to be honest. We are suffering from this every day.

“We have a parking space at the back of the office and it’s littered with syringes and excrement. We can’t use the fire escape because it’s piled high with rubbish.

“It’s not just about the alleyway, it’s a wider problem. Staff have been approached by fairly persistent beggars and it’s pretty intimating.

“I think maybe more supervision is needed. These people are just left to their own devices and I think someone in some kind of authority needs to take a look and deal with it.”

Another Birley Street employee said: “I don’t want to knock people who may be homeless, they obviously need help. But we’ve got a real issue here and someone has to see what can be done about it.”

Lancashire Police and Blackpool Council were both approached for comment.

However, a report to Blackpool’s Community Safety Partnership last year did highlight similar issues.

It said many incidents of anti-social behaviour involved offenders “begging and street drinking”.

The report said the most prolific offenders were being targeted with community behaviour orders.