Large scale violence is threatening to turn the UK’s next city of culture into a “ghost town”, with people increasingly too frightened to visit.
In the latest in a string of incidents, a mass gathering in the heart of Bradford erupted into “wild west” carnage on Tuesday night, with police coming under attack from rampaging thugs.
Trouble around rush hour close to the city’s Centenary Square, forcing workers leaving their shifts from surrounding businesses to flee in terror. One eyewitness claimed around 100 people were involved in the trouble.
Armed officers and the West Yorkshire Police plane were deployed to the scene where a 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife in a public place.
A further five people were arrested – three 16-year-old girls and two males, aged 17 and 18 – for a number of offences, including assaulting an emergency worker and criminal damage.
Shocking mobile phone footage shows police cars being surrounded and attacked during the trouble, with one car having to take evasive action to avoid being swamped by the mob.
Now business owners are warning of the devastating effect the trouble is having on trade – and say they fear the city could become a “no-go zone” before the national spotlight falls in 2025.
As Tuesday night’s incident unfolded, a group of elderly people were forced to seek refuge at The In Plaice, with staff at the fish and chip restaurant locking the doors to keep them safe. One shopkeeper said despite an increasing number of incidents he had never witnessed anything on that scale before.
Another, who asked not want to be named, said: “If this continues Bradford will just be a ghost town. Parking charges have had a big impact on keeping people away and the nighttime economy is collapsing.
“Most of the city centre pubs have shut down because there is no trade and the restaurants are pretty much all alcohol-free premises, which send people elsewhere. Now there is a regular trouble breaking out because gangs are just roaming around with nothing to do but create mischief. There is a strong smell of drugs – it’s very intimidating.”
Businesswoman Kate Hollingsworth said: “I don’t live in the city centre but whenever I visit for work I get away as soon as possible. This is one of the biggest cities in England but it’s really not a nice place to hang around. I always go to Leeds instead. I hope the City of Culture will make a huge difference, but lots of people are worried it will shine a spotlight on the wrong things.”
Sheryn, who works at The In Plaice, said she feared incidents like this would spark increases in insurance and other business costs in increasingly difficult times.
“People are not going to want to come to town,” the 24-year-old said. “We had a couple yesterday say to us they weren’t going to come into town anymore. There was one woman who usually comes in on a Tuesday and she turned round and said, ‘I won’t be going into town for a few months’.
“If it wasn’t for the older generation there wouldn’t be a Bradford town. They built it up.
“If they [young people] just put their efforts into their education or into work there wouldn’t be half as much trouble. They just think, we’ll just doss in town. If you put your mind to it you can be earning a decent living with a decent life.
“There’s no point running around town causing trouble for nothing. Tuesday was just shocking. It was the first time I’ve actually seen it where stuff was being thrown at police officers, cars were being battered, punched at and stuff like that.
“The mindset’s all wrong. They need to get more things for them to do, like centres and stuff where they can go in if they haven’t got anything to do that day. A recreation centre, games, music, karate – giving them something to do. Give them a reason to believe there’s another way of doing things.”
Bradford was last year named the UK City of Culture 2025, beating Southampton, Wrexham and Durham. Local leaders say the win will majorly stimulate the deprived economy and culture as well as attracting tourism to the city.
By 2025, the UK City of Culture bid is expected to support the potential economic growth of £389 million to the city, create over 7,000 jobs, and provide thousands of performance opportunities for local artists.
