'It just doesn't feel safe anymore': Piccadilly Gardens workers open up on daily battles after weekend of chaos
Some of those working in and around Piccadilly Gardens say things are 'as bad as they've ever been' in the area after a weekend of violence and chaos.
Rehman Butt, 50, a doorman at a premises close to the gardens, which he asked us not to name, said a number of shops and restaurants closed their doors as Monday night's violence raged shortly before 9pm. "Whatever happened started in there" he said pointing to the centre of the gardens. "There were loads of officers last night and to be honest they handled it quite nicely. And I know its a big city and there are lots of things happening. But I would suggest that they need to have officers here all the time. Even if it was just three or four.
"We see kids as young as seven, eight, nine, they are coming in here, even during school time, causing trouble throwing things around. They should be in school. Several hours later they saw two opposing groups, at least one of whom were adults, fighting on the Market Street tram stop platform. It's as if they weren't bothered at all. But if that was a football match or a political march or something they'd have steamed right in there with their batons.. Then just before 7pm, there was a group, that looked like two different nationalities.
One worker based in the area, who also didn't want to be named, said of Friday's trouble: "It was more kids being a nuisance than being threatening or scary but I can see how it might make people feel like that. Every year something goes on on that day, I think to do with the schools. "Ultimately you never see enough police here. There's not enough of them. It would be helpful if there was someone around all the time. They did try a few years ago but it only lasted about two weeks. You have those PCSOs but they're not much use as they can't even arrest anyone."
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