'Police arrests in crime crackdown

Operation Harvest is a forcewide crusade and the latest initiative brought a focus on town centres and alcohol-related violence.'

www.wigantoday.net (20/09/12)

A reader's comment below the news story:

'Last Saturday was an excellent example of how the policing should be in Wigan town centre. metal detectors and cocaine pens on King Street and sniffer dogs in the clubs. there must have been 50 hard lined police hitting the streets and everyone said they wish it was like that more often. however after 4am when the town is at its busiest, mass fights broke out once the police had gone and these so called cameras at the bottom and top of King Street did nothing. I get the feeling that they are not being monitored or the staff are sleeping. but well done police (I don't think they were Wigan police)'

I used to have nights out with friends in Wigan in the late eighties - from pubs on to a club then a taxi queue at 2am - and I never felt really unsafe.

Have things changed so much and, if so, ought there to be something done about it?

you always had your idiot, but there are a hell of a lot more now.

As that comment states the police disappear come 4am, yet there are still a couple of clubs open till 6ish. you sometimes get stewards at the taxi ranks.

I think it would be far worse if there was the old style tip out at 2 AM. You no longer see the large taxi queues and associated bother.

Yeah but where we used to turn out at 8pm, young folk today are turning out at 10pm, 11pm and often after 12pm.

I'm not sure I approve of these 24 hr licences, I can't rest til my son is in which is usually 7am Sunday morning - thats if he goes out at all, although its rare for him to have a drink due to his job.

Thanks for verifying that the police numbers dwindle by around 4am, while some clubs stay open till later, Redtop19. I have read that taxi stewards help, but wasn't sure if they were employed in Wigan any more.

I'm not suggesting all clubs close at 2am again, Dostaf, but wonder if Wigan Council could possibly authorise staggered closing times up till 4am, when the police are still visibly present?

I'm not looking forward to my lot going out all night, Veg Grower.

I think staggered (there's Freudian) closing times were supposed to be something that would happen voluntarily/naturally when the 24 hr licensiing came into operation, Jo Anne. But it was never going to happen in town centres like ours.

I wonder if the number food outlets are a mixed blessing?

As with the bother at taxi queues during the mass tip-outs of old, there were fewer troughing places, leading to larger queues and potential for friction.

Jo anne - its a bloody nightmare. My son went to Bolton last night, I slept not a wink until finally dosing off about 5am.

My son walked in at 6am and woke me up telling me that a mate of his had texted him saying that somone had been stabbed in Tyldesley last night in the main club - he said 'If I hadn't gone to Bolton I would have been in there'.

Apparently a fella is in hospital and they are after another - although I can't verify this.

Very frightening, Veg Grower. Hope the fella is ok.

WW News

'an eight-foot-high barrier known as the 'iron horse' will be erected along the top of King Street in Wigan. The barrier is intended to control access to the area, and will have knife arches positioned at each end to stop people from carrying weapons.'

But I think that was just for the Christmas season?

Do some premises have/had detectors in their doorways, too?

Dostaf - 'closing times were supposed to be something that would happen voluntarily/naturally when the 24 hr licensiing came into operation. But it was never going to happen in town centres like ours.'

I'm not convinced it would happen anywhere in our society, Dostaf?

i have a great idea close king street down altogether that would stop any more bother .lets think this way who does king st help, club owners , wmbc and drug dealers.
den off eniquity shut it down.hm government and local councils throughout the land are worried about alcohol abuse,close all lateevening/ morning drinking clubs open till 6 am ,outrageous ,there you go some one brave enough has issued a challenge to the council ,shut em up.

The gates appear at various times of the year.


Jo Anne, I think the suggestion at the time was that there would not be enough custom to make it worthwhile for pubs/clubs to be open full time, and that various places would almost taking it in turns to be open at different times.

Thus, any punter could actually dring when they wanted to.

re King Street and youngsters turning out late to go on the town, I think Numbr 15 only gets into full swing in the early hours and is open late/early. Depending on whther 5 AM (possibly) is early or late.

me and my mate used to go up wigan every wednesday and weekend nights and never saw any trouble in any pub's never went to nightclubs so cant comment on what happened in the early hour.

Baker Boy, I agree Wigan Council ought to take a more hard line approach (the state of King Street in the day time is deplorable, too), but I wouldn't eradicate all pubs and clubs. I loved going out when I was younger.

Dostaf - re King Street and youngsters turning out late to go on the town

There might well be resistance to begin with, but if the premises had to close earlier, by 3am, for example, then consequently wouldn't the night get into full swing earlier?

True, Jo Anne. No doubt at home on cheaper booze.

Mind you, 'all nighters' (bowt ale) are not unknown in Wigan's past.

not been round wigan for many years, last time i went it was full of kids (late teens early 20's) who had 2 pints and wanted to fight the world, sorry but thats not my idea of a good night out .

Posted by: baker boy (6916) [5,000+] Report abuse

i have a great idea close king street down altogether that would stop any more bother .


Yeh really GREAT idea. Them that want to wouldn't find anywere else to go and cause bother would they?




there you go some one brave enough has issued a challenge




Someone brave enough? Who would that be then

WW News - 12th Oct 2012

'Organisers of a new scheme aimed at promoting the responsible management of licensed premises in Wigan have expressed their shock and sorrow following recent tragic incidents on King Street which left one man dead and another seriously injured.'

'Supporters of Best Bar None – a national accreditation and award scheme which aims to improve community safety in the night time economy – include Greater Manchester Police, Wigan Council and licensed members of the Pub and Club Watch.'

'The Trading Standards Manager at Wigan Council Wigan said:

"Wigan town centre enjoys a thriving night time economy, with people travelling from right across the region to visit popular haunts on King Street which can attract up to 20,000 revellers on a typical weekend night."

"Unfortunately, we do encounter some alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder but serious incidents of this nature are thankfully exceptional. This is in no small part due to the way licensed premises and agencies work together. The events of last weekend demonstrate just how important it is for agencies to work proactively with licensed premises on community safety initiatives such as Best Bar None."

Wigan town centre is the latest addition to the Best Bar None scheme, which was first piloted in Manchester in 2003. Currently, more than 100 schemes have been introduced in town centres across the UK.'

"Temporary measures designed to help crack down on public disorder and anti-social behaviour relating to the night time economy have been introduced in Wigan town centre.

The Section 30 Dispersal Zone, introduced before Christmas in a bid to make the centre safer over the festive period, will be in place through to the summer.

As part of these measures, police officers and PCSOs are able to tell groups to leave the area either immediately or by a deadline; they can also tell people who don't live in the area to leave and not to return for up to 24 hours."

More information - WW News 18th Jan

So they wont return when the coppers and pcsos have gone