WARRINGTON‘S town centre night life could become a haven of culture and vibrant activity, where people don’t feel afraid of crime.
The vision for ‘Warrington Town Centre at Night’ will be presented to the council’s executive board members next week.
It sets out some goals for what could be done to develop the town centre’s night time economy, creating jobs and a pleasant place to spend time.
It also hopes to tackle Warrington residents’ perceptions about crime and disorder once the sun goes down – and attract more families.
Ideas include enhanced street lighting to reduce ‘dark areas’ and extending CCTV coverage outside nightclubs and pubs in a bid to make residents feel safer.
Cultural activity in the town could be focused around the Palmyra Quarter – councillors hope to create a European feel with small high quality bars, restaurants and cafés.
The strategy also includes plans to attract hotel and conferencing developments into the town centre and to deliver regeneration projects.
‘Warrington Town Centre at Night’ is a change in direction after the success of the two year, multi-agency, Archangel Anti-alcohol task group which has helped to cut alcohol fuelled disorder in the town centre by 30 per cent in two years.
The vision report says a more positive approach is now needed to create a thriving night time economy in Warrington.
If members of the Executive Board give the vision the go ahead, the group will be asked to work out how they would turn the vision to reality with help from Archangel and the Town Centre Neighbourhood Board.
Warrington town centre has previously been highlighted in the regional and national media as one of the worst places in the country for drunken and disorderly behaviour caused by a drink and drugs culture.
WARRINGTON‘S town centre night life could become a haven of culture and
vibrant activity, where people don’t feel afraid of crime.
New vision for Warrington night life!
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
8 Comments
Having spent years filling the town with night clubs and encouraging drinking at the expense of local pubs, the council are now doing an about turn. Amazing!!!!!!
Are families becoming important? and if so, why the change of mentality?
Could it be that a cafe/family culture is the only thing that can fill the rapidly emptying High Street shops?
All we need now, is a car park so that people can enjoy these facilities.
“Where people don’t feel afraid of crime” – hahahahahaha!!! No way would I go anywhere near Warrington town centre at night with my seven year old to have a “family” meal – don’t really want him to see some of the sights I’ve witnessed in the last few years, even early in the evening. I can’t see there suddenly being a big change in he behaviour of most of the chav class who frequent the town centre pubs and clubs just because the council has a “vision”. What a joke!
Same here… I wouldn’t even consider going into town for a meal without kids in tow let alone with them regardless of extra cctv or street lights. Sadly over the years Warrington has been allowed to become nothing more than a clubbers and boozers paradise with all that comes with it …..and it will be very hard, if not impossible, to turn it around into a family orientated area now. Shame that the current plans werent thought of years ago then maybe the town centre would have survived and wouldnt wouldn’t have the awful reputation it now has. If they pull it off though maybe less people will come into Stockton Heaths bars, restaurants and cafés YIPPEE !!!
More pre-election bull****!
“Ideas include enhanced street lighting to reduce ‘dark areas’ and extending CCTV coverage outside nightclubs and pubs in a bid to make residents feel safer.”
Right, so they’re not really interested in actually MAKING the town centre safer, just making it FEEL like it is.
Yup, that’s gonna work.
And what Tigger said.
Bulldozing Bridge St would be a good start !
Answer to everything, re-active rather than pro active, we don’t need more bars,cctv, lights, resteraunts, hotels,cafes. We need reasons to go into town center and take it back for the families rather than supporting facilities for the drinking culture. I like a drink, occasionaly I go town. But how about more provisions for the CULTURE that does not exist. just naming something a cultural quater is not enough. Despite much intrest and support from the locals, HALO was being touted as a possible theatre…why did that not get council support? Have street entertainers neer the skittles, turn boots into warringtons own industry and science museum, subsidise local small business to use the empty shops in bridge street instead of leaving them outpriced and empty, making them targets for vandalism. in short COUNCIL WAKE UP, its about our community not your bonuses and budgets. It would be nice to get a council that is Warringto focused…its been 40 years now!
I’ve been a student at the Warrington University campus since September, and I already have to agree with the majority of the previous comments. There are often times that I have to travel through the town centre at night, and it feels particularly unsafe, especially when travelling through or past the areas that groups of teenagers seem to think it logical to congregate in. As much as people think that making people feel safer would have to include more CCTV and better lighting, it’s not what we need. We need safer environments that won’t get invaded by the wrong people, and safer environments for people who want to simply enjoy themselves in the town centre at many of the clubs/pubs/family restaurants. Albeit near impossible to alleviate the town’s population of scumbags, it would be nice to see the council giving it a go.