BID News
Published: March 14, 2024 | Updated: 13th March 2024
A day devoted to deterring crime takes place today in Southampton city centre.
GO! Southampton – Southampton’s Business Improvement District (BID) – is working alongside Southampton City Council and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the city.
Safer Business Action Day brings police and partners together with Southampton’s businesses.
A recent survey from the British Retail Consortium revealed a 50 per cent increase in the levels of violence and abuse aimed at retailers across the country in the last year.
It took the number of incidents to 1,300 a day.
GO! Southampton says it is dedicated to helping reduce this statistic.
The BID says the SaBA Day initiative is an important part of its work, via its Southampton Business Crime Partnership (SBCP), to create a safer working environment for the city’s businesses while enhancing its appeal to residents and visitors alike.
Stephen Manion, Executive Director at GO! Southampton, said: “We take Safer Business Action Days seriously and we’re committed to reducing retail crime and anti-social behaviour in Southampton.
“Safety is of huge importance to the shops, retailers and eateries we work with in the city centre.
“We are keen to bring partners together to show our vigilance on deterring and preventing criminal activity, and we want to maintain a safe environment for our businesses to thrive.”
The latest SaBA Day comes shortly after Southampton Police launched the City Centre Unit, a new unit dedicated to reducing retail crimes in the city and violence towards shop staff.
The unit comprises of seven officers, a sergeant and a group of PCSOs.
The unit has been up and running for three months and has already made more than 136 arrests resulting in 37 offenders being charged and remanded in custody.
Southampton Chief Inspector Marcus Kennedy said: “We know that shoplifting and retail crime is a real concern for local business in Southampton, including shop staff and shoppers, which is why it was so important for us to be part of this day of action again this year.
“Myself and my team will spend the day in the city centre, disrupting offenders and speaking to staff at local businesses.
“Retail crime is a priority for us and we hope to disrupt many of our key perpetrators during the day of action.
“This work will not stop and we’ll continue to keep up the pressure on those known for committing these crimes.
“We are committed to relentlessly pursuing those who carry out these crimes and hope that our work demonstrates our proactive approach to the public and local businesses, beyond this day of action.”
Representatives from retailers will also be involving their staff in the SaBA Day, with Caroline French, owner of W.J.French & Son in Bedford Place, one of the oldest shoe shops in Southampton, taking part in today’s day of action.
Today’s Safer Business Action Day in Southampton is part of the National Safer Business Action Day week in March, contributing to a nationwide effort to combat crime and anti-social behaviour.
Partners collaborating alongside GO! Southampton and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary also include local authority enforcement teams, trading standards, homeless outreach workers, Southampton City Council Welfare Wardens, businesses and private security.
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