YOU would not behave like that at home – so do not do it here.
That was the message from Blackpool Police to brawling revellers after it was revealed the number of violent incidents in the resort was soaring.
Although the number of people being seriously hurt on the town’s streets has dropped, the number of fights is on the increase.
And a senior officer admitted party-goers’ bad behaviour is “scary” for tourists, and needs stamping out if Blackpool is to retain its image as Britain’s number one holiday resort.
Insp Jason Richardson, Blackpool central’s new geographic inspector, has identified cracking down on night time problems his number one priority.
He said: “The biggest threat in town is violent crime. My focus is on what we can do in the town centre to reduce that and make Blackpool a better place to visit.
“It is very much the night time economy area where our crime occurs, from Talbot Square all the way up to the top of Queen Street.
“The kind of incidents you see in the town centre, people would not behave like that in their own towns so there is no reason they should come to Blackpool and do it.”
Although Insp Richardson is pleased to see the statistics for the number of people being seriously injured in the town is dropping – with woundings down 43 per cent and assaults with injury down by six per cent – the number of fights remains on the up.
There have been 36 per cent more cases of people being attacked, but not being injured, reported to police in 2012 than there were last year.
And Insp Richardson said: “We are talking about unruly behaviour, pushing and shoving, which is frightening for visitors and families in the town.
“It is not the behaviour they expect to see when they come on their holidays.”
Police have pledged to be more visible in pubs and clubs over the coming party season, and will also be targeting known offenders to keep them off the streets at the weekend.
But Insp Richardson has assured residents other areas of the town will not miss out on police cover.
He said: “I want my neighbourhood policing teams in their areas as much as possible.
“Police in Blackpool have lots of responsibilities on and I am doing my best to ensure those officers spend as much time on their beats as they possibly can, and where possible I will free them up from other duties.”
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