Homeless lockdown has triggered rise in anti-social behaviour say Blackpool residents

A virtual meeting of the council heard incidents included stabbings and street brawls after 160 homeless people were taken off the streets and put in temporary accommodation during the coronavirus lockdown.

Coun Gerard Walsh said hoteliers did not feel safe to take their daily exercise and walk their family pets, and the area had seen "a huge surge in anti-social behaviour."

Coun Walsh told the meeting: "We have seen stabbings, we have seen mass brawls, we have seen every type of anti-social behaviour you can think of in the afternoon.

"What is this council doing in terms of the management of these hotels to ensure residents feel safe?"

Hotelier Charlie Docherty, chairman of the Central Blackpool Business Forum, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service police were visiting properties including on Charnley Road and Reads Avenue, daily.

He said: "Residents are getting daily abuse, there are fights, people are sitting outside drinking and doing blatant drug deals.

"We know the council has to house people but to put them all in one area with no supervision is wrong."

Blackpool Council chief executive Neil Jack said work was being done to find more permanent accommodation for people in other parts of Blackpool while a mobile CCTV unit had been brought in to monitor activity.

But the situation was "challenging" because normal measures such as the threat of eviction could not be used in the current situation.

A Blackpool Council spokesperson said: “The unprecedented situation surrounding the coronavirus outbreak has seen the council and partner organisations move swiftly to provide support for people who are vulnerable.

"Blackpool Council, in line with government directions to all local authorities to do whatever they could to accommodate the homeless, is currently using 11 B&Bs across the town, including North Shore, South Shore and Central.

"The council has actively tried to disperse the provision of temporary accommodation based on what is available and which premises have been offered to us by hoteliers.

“The council continues to monitor the situation, working alongside both hoteliers and Lancashire Police to provide support. The police are patrolling more and are responding to specific issues of anti-social behaviour.”

Lancashire Police has so far not responded to a request for a comment.