Barnsley’s popular nightlife scene draws in scores of revellers every weekend. The Chronicle’s Josh Timlin joined police officers responsible for keeping them safe on their patrols around the town centre last Friday night.
BARNSLEY town centre is in the midst of a multi-million pound redevelopment which is aiming to lure more big-name retailers as well as customers.
After dark, hundreds of people every Friday and Saturday night visit, taking full advantage of its rail links from the neighbouring cities of Leeds, Wakefield and Sheffield.
But it has its problems, most notably with drugs including spice and cocaine. Spice which leaves users in a zombie-like state is something
the police and council are working together to address, but alleged cocaine abuse is an issue officers on the town beat at night are tackling head on.
One bar owner recently claimed the town centre’s established venues are ‘awash’ with the drug and is worse than it’s ever been, estimating a third of under 25-year-olds are using the substance.
PCs Danny Zottola and Michael Beet conceded that drugs remain one of the biggest problems officers are dealing with but frequent patrols, specifically targeting known haunts, are helping to deter dealing and consumption outside the town’s bars.
“We’re very much aware of the usual places people go,” PC Zottola said. “Dog Lane is one of the areas we always patrol as it’s dark, out of the way and has been used for drug-related matters in the past, as is Mandela Gardens. We’ll visit each place throughout the night to keep tabs on them.
“We’re lucky in a way as Barnsley is tightly packed in and everything is within walking distance.
“Places like Sheffield and Leeds aren’t, but you kind of know revellers in Barnsley will make their way up to Wellington Street as the night progresses.
“From the police’s point of view there’s not been a major spike in offences but the message is simple: if you’re in possession of drugs in the town centre and we’re there, you
will be arrested and put before the courts.”
Stop and searches are one of the measures being implemented by on-the-beat bobbies, who control the town centre from 9pm until the last club Project on Wellington Street closes at 6am.
“If we see someone who we know has been involved in drugs offences before, that isn’t enough for us to conduct a search,” PC Zottola added. “We have to have reasonable grounds that they’re in possession of substances again in order to do that.
“It’s pretty clear-cut experience tells you if someone is under the influence and if you see a person running away, you can be pretty sure they are carrying something they shouldn’t be.”
One thing the police have at their disposal is Operation Streetsafe, a dedicated tool which focuses on improving the night-time economy in Barnsley.
Having had various iterations in the past including Operation Binge and Operation Tandem Streetsafe is implemented by the town centre-
based policing team and focuses on high footfall areas such as Market
Hill, Wellington Street and Peel Square due to their high numbers of bars.
“It’s all about preventing the escalation of incidents relating to people in the town centre on a Friday and Saturday night,” Chief Inspector Chris Foster added.
“That includes licensing checks and having a visible presence there as the night progresses.
“Barnsley’s different to places like Sheffield because people move in the usual places so they often start on Market Hill and make their way up to Wellington Street that’s good for us and we know where any incidents could flare up within the space of a couple of hundred yards.
“With regards to cocaine and spice, we do carry out stop and searches and regularly work with bars’ door staff as often the drugs are taken when people are inside a premises.
“If we suspect anyone to be under the influence or in possession, we will search them and if they are caught with drugs on them they will be arrested.
“We can tell if a person is on something they may have white powder on their nose or be fidgety.
“Our officers regularly patrol the known haunts and we have had a
really good reaction to Streetsafe. Usually it’s a really good atmosphere but as with everything there’s
always a few who don’t like us being nearby.
“Barnsley’s always been a busy centre but the revised plan has allowed us to be better planned on how to deploy our resources in the town centre.”
Although Streetsafe is not purely to tackle drug abuse, it’s recently been revised in order to keep the peace between revellers and licensees, which sees officers liaise with Emma Palmer, who runs Barnsley town centre’s pubwatch scheme.
Emma added: “Every Friday and Saturday, generally before it gets busier, we’ll meet with officers who are working on the night and inform them if there’s been any issues.
“It works well as it has to be a two-way thing we know the frequent offenders and it’s important we pass this information on.
“It’s a positive relationship and one which works well in order to keep order in the town centre.”
