‘You need a bobby’! ‘Waste of time’! Shoppers, traders and councillors react to Spalding’s high visibility policing plans

A £40,000 initiative to increase a town’s police presence has been welcomed - and labelled a ’waste of time’.

There will be more high visibility bobbies on the beat in Spalding town centre over the next three months as part of a trial to crack down on anti-social behaviour and improve public confidence.

Funded by South Holland District Council and Spalding Town Board, the pilot scheme - which will launch in the coming weeks - has produced a mixed reaction from councillors, traders and shoppers.

Coun Gary Taylor welcomed the initiative at Tuesday’s Spalding Town Forum while Coun Mark Le Sage told LincsOnline he was also in favour.

“We need more bobbies on the beat, it’s a good thing,” he said.

“You can’t police from a distance. But we’d also like to see this in other places, more of a police presence in areas like Holbeach and Crowland.”

Julian Wheeler, who runs Welland Photo Services in The Crescent, believes any attempt to stamp out antisocial behaviour is a step in the right direction.

“I’m of the opinion that an increased police presence in the town centre during daytime, when people are being scared away, would be welcome,” he said.

“We need people to come into town.”

Market day shoppers had contrasting views, some arguing the plan was a fair cop, with others adamant it should be a closed case.

Pete Chapman moved to Spalding 40 years ago and says he is sad to see the town centre ‘decline’.

“It’s a waste of time,” he said, speaking from Market Place.

“You see people coming through here on (mobility) scooters like a bat out of hell and the school kids riding up and down, trying to do wheelies. It’s mayhem.

“What do the police do here? They turn a blind eye.

“We’ve got that £20 million from the Government, we should be encouraging people in to the town, not spending money on concrete cows, sheep and police.”

Mark Marwood was also against the idea.

“There shouldn’t be a trial, police should be here already,” he said.

“I got my council tax letter through. I looked to see what my money was being spent on - the police, fire - and I thought ‘where’s this all going?’.”

Moulton resident David White, who has moved to the area from Kent, welcomed the initiative.

“If you go to Gravesend there’s always a bobby, here you see one in a blue moon,” he said.

“The problem with Spalding is that if you’re in trouble you have to wait for a police car. You need a bobby.”

One shopper - who didn’t want to be named - said she had sympathy for the emergency services.

“I’ve been round Spalding this morning and I haven’t seen any police or PCSOs. It would be nice to see them,” she explained.

“The trouble is the Government keeps cutting their money, it’s not the police’s fault.

“I’m happy to see more money going on the police.”

What do you think? Send your views to: news@lincsonline.co.uk