Many people in Doncaster left feeling 'too intimidated' to visit the city centre
It's due to issues like aggressive begging, drug misuse, & other forms of anti-social behaviour there
Many people in Doncaster tell us they 'don't feel safe anymore' when visiting the city centre.
It's due to issues like aggressive begging, drug misuse, & other forms of anti-social behaviour there.
This shopper in the city centre tells us she doesn't feel safe when visiting anymore:
"It's very intimidating with the beggars, the homeless people, and especially old age pensioners - as we often get followed as targets.
"There's young lads going up and down Baxter Gate on bikes doing wheelies and knocking people over - it's just not on!"
Another man in the city centre had similar feelings when speaking to us:
"It's a bit unsafe - it's just full of drug addicts and near the market it's full of gangs.
"It can feel like an uncomfortable place to come to - which is a shame, because it didn't used to be like this."
Raja Hussain - who owns 5 shops in Doncaster city centre - says it's affecting footfall there:
"Less and less people are coming into town nowadays.
"60-70 year old people are coming into town and getting harassed by homeless people for a £1 or a cigarette.
"Some people are simply too scared to come into town now.
"Families avoid the town centre now because they don't want to expose their young children to people who are on drugs."
Doncaster Council say they'll consider a new 25-year strategy for improving the city centre at a cabinet meeting later this week - with the aim of giving it a 'more welcoming feel'.
You can read about the 'new vision' for Doncaster city centre below:
https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/News/mayor-presents-new-vision-for-doncaster-city-centre
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