Keeping safe on Christmas nights out on the Toon
WHERE ARETHE DANGER SPOTS IN OUR REGION?
REVELLERS are set to flock to Tyneside’s famous nightspots over the coming days as the Christmas Party season gets into full swing.
Here in the North East we are renowned for our warm welcome and love of a good night out, and pubs and clubs are sure to be rammed this December with party-goers enjoying a festive drink or seeing in the New Year.
But sometimes alcohol and violence can go hand in hand.
Thousands of drinkers enjoy nights out in the bars of Newcastle, Jesmond, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and beyond every weekend and wake up with nothing more than a sore head and patchy memories.
However, a small minority are left with more than a hangover when they become the victims of violent or sexual crimes.
But just where is the most dangerous place on Tyneside to spend your Christmas night out?
We have analysed data from the Police.UK website, which publishes crime statistics, to work out which of the thriving nightlife centres had the most violent and sexual offences in December 2017.
And last year Newcastle’s Newgate Street, home to The Gate complex, topped the league of shame with 24 offences reported to police in December 2017.
The city’s Bigg Market and Groat Market area, home to popular bars such as Popworld and Cosy Joe’s, tops the comes in a close second, with 20 crimes.
Meanwhile 19 violent or sexual offences were reported to have happened on Newcastle’s famous Diamond Strip.
And St Nicholas Street, home to Tup Tup Palace and The Cut, saw 10.
On the other hand there was not one violent or sexual offence reported to have happened on Grey Street, popular with an over-30s crowd and home to busy bars such as Brown’s and Barluga.
And there was just one on the Quayside.
Northumbria Police’s Newcastle city centre Chief Insp, Dave Pickett, said: “Newcastle city centre is an extremely busy and popular area welcoming millions of visitors every year and the fact these figures are so low in comparison to the amount of people who come into the city should reassure the communities we serve. We are proud of our city which is a friendly and safe place to visit where the chances of being the victim of crime are low. However, we are not complacent and we will continue to drive a number of initiatives we have in place to make Newcastle a safer place to visit.
“We meet regularly with the licensees, bar staff and door staff across the city to ensure that we have a joined up approach to protecting the vulnerable, preventing crime and tackling disorder.
Safety training has been provided for door staff and we brief them on weekends before busy nights and share information with them that can help them do their job.
“Our city centre neighbourhood policing team also patrol the key areas at the most popular times and they are there to help everyone and keep them safe.
“We also have taxi marshals at the many ranks in the centre to assist people in getting home safely, we have the Safe Haven in the Bigg Market at weekends to provide people with help and support and we are lucky enough to have the fantastic Street Pastors out on the streets looking after people.”
Away from the city centre Jesmond’s Osborne Road and Clayton Road area, which tends to be a thriving student drinking spot, had just four offences reported to police last December.
Tynemouth’s Front Street, another popular drinking haunt had eight violent or sexual offences reported to police in the same period, while 12 were said to have happened in the South Parade and North Parade area of Whitley Bay.