Concern about antisocial behaviour in Rochdale town centre

People are sitting drinking cider outside the former Beales Department Store in Rochdale town centre

Several business owners in Rochdale are concerned about the impact of antisocial behaviour in Rochdale town centre.

John Alexander, of J&D Alexanders, said: “I’ve lived and worked in Rochdale for 40 years and seen many changes in the high street.

“Rochdale centre, like many in the UK has more than it’s fair share of adults, young and old, who display anti-social behaviour, which causes many people to be put off generally enjoying a day out with families and children.”

He added: “We’ve had major disruptions this year to shopping in the town centre through the river open, resurfacing on the Walk and the current work on Yorkshire Street.

“This is made worse by the anti-social behaviour displayed here that we all have to put up with every day.

“Police and Community Support Officers do try and combat this, but for whatever reason, the problem has not gone away. I’m told the area at the top of The Walk is constantly monitored by camera, so the powers have the proof that things are happening; no-one can say the anti-social behaviour isn’t happening.

“People don’t find being in this proximity a pleasant experience.

“I do love Rochdale and I don’t think this problem is beyond the wit of man. It just needs the people in authority to say ‘we’re determined to make the shopping experience in Rochdale a pleasant one.’

“How long does this have to go on before there are more empty shops?”

Beverley Richardson, who runs The Flower Studio, said: “There was a lot of fighting last week which has stemmed from two lads who look to be around 24 or 25. They used to sit on the streets and go into the betting shop.

“There’s the usual beggars who are swigging from their cans and shouting to each other, it looks awful, but these aren’t as bad as the lads affecting the bottom end of Yorkshire Street.

“There are sometimes people sitting drinking cider outside Beales on the benches - it’s meant to be an alcohol-free zone.

“People have told me they avoid the bottom end of town down by the banks because it’s rough. The work down here has affected businesses too because people don’t want to be around disruptions.”

Business partner, Michael Mills, said: “The police presence here is nil; that’s because they’ve had so many cuts that they can’t offer a service. They’re always being called out, so surely it makes sense to have a couple of officers walking the town centre to address the anti-social behaviour and hand out arrests.”

Beverley said: “Closing Beales has affected our business. People used to use the escalators as a way to cut through the bottom of town to further up, so they’d always be passing us.

“Online shopping has affected some businesses, but it’s still nice to go out and shop. People might come here to see the heritage, but they want somewhere to spend the day and wander through the town and look round the shops.”

She added: “I do love the bridge though, and the opening of Beauty Spot Warehouse is great, it’s something different at this end of Rochdale.

Michael agreed: “We need to give people that shopping experience where they’ve had a good day out and would return. If we don’t give them that, they won’t return.

“It would be nice if we were asked by a committee or similar, ‘what would you like in the town centre?’ to find out what people want, like a proper market with outside cover.”

Town Centre Manager, Mark Foxley, was invited to comment.