New figures from the Home Office’s British Crime Survey indicate that the public is becoming increasingly concerned about the level of drunkenness and rowdiness in our town centres. More than half of those interviewed expressed concern about the level of litter and rubbish on the streets and almost 30% of people are bothered by beggars and people hanging around cash point machines.

More than 25% of people are worried about drug dealing in their area and almost 30% by graffiti and rubbish.

Perception of anti-social behaviour is very much on the rise even though Home Office figures show that overall recorded crime is stable with a slight (2%) drop since last year. Robbery and street crime is rising, however, and this is largely due to the fact that more and more people are carrying valuable assets in their pockets and handbags such as mobile phones, ipods and Blackberries.

Of those who said they experienced anti-social behaviour 9% said they saw rowdiness or drunkenness every day and 36% said they saw it every week. Most people believe this type of behaviour is no accident and that groups of yobs are going out quite deliberately to get drunk and cause a nuisance.

The survey questioned 45,000 people over the age of 16 about their experience of crime in England and Wales.

The results of this national survey are echoed on a very much smaller scale in surveys conducted by the Business Forum. Town centre traders in Brighton and more recently in Hove have been asked to list the key issues for their businesses. Beggars, graffiti vandals, chuggers and illegal traders appear to be much more troublesome to shopkeepers than shoplifters or other serious criminals.

Businesses in the central Business Improvement District in Brighton will soon benefit from an on-street security patrol due to commence operations mid-November. The security guards will be on call to deal with anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

For further information on the Brighton BID click on the icon on the left hand side of this page.