Club owners and security meet with Police Crime Commissioner

The warning was issued to Norfolk’s police and crime commissioner, Sarah Taylor, at a meeting hosted by business owners and doormen working in Prince of Wales Road.

They said their main concern was the lack of support offered by cops when working at night in the city’s notorious night spot.

Officers were accused of being slow to respond to criminal activity, taking inadequate action to incidents and leaving the area before bars and clubs close.

They say the situation has become so bad that it is scaring away clubgoers looking to enjoy a night out.

The meeting was held at the VIP Karaoke Club in Prince of Wales (Image: Newsquest)

Business owners have also said they are forking out tens of thousands of pounds each year to ensure their bars and clubs remain safe for customers and staff.

NOT HANDLED PROPERLY

Alan Grey, director of AG Security, was stabbed in the stomach in October 2021 after attempting to restrain an attacker while working on Prince of Wales Road.

He has been involved in security for 44 years and was at the meeting.

Mr Grey said: "The police don't react to incidents down here.

"There's been a number of incidents involving myself and others which were not handled, or dealt with, properly by the police.

"I've known door staff who have waited almost half an hour for an officer to turn up after an incident has happened.

Prince of Wales Road has a history of crime (Image: Newsquest)

"When you report that something has happened they just don't seem bothered."

WHERE'S OUR SUPPORT?

Ryan Curtis, a self-employed security guard, was also at the meeting. 

He added: "My main concern is that officers are leaving the area around 3am.

"At this time there's still the taxi ranks full of people waiting, some clubs are still open and the kebab shops don't shut until around 5am.

"I understand not every single officer needs to be here but there still needs to be some support along the road until it's open.

"There's still security here to protect people on a night out but where's our support from the police?"

Police Crime Commissioner Sarah Taylor, pictured right, listening to the concerns from security staff (Image: Newsquest)

The alleged lack of action by police is having a knock-on effect to business owners who say they are having to employ more security than ever to protect customers.

IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE

Luke, general manager of the VIP Karaoke Club in Prince of Wales Road, said: "It's not acceptable.

"I spend more than £62,000 a year to have a security man on the doors here - we have 11 panic buttons around the club which go straight to the police.

"Business rates are expensive enough as it is and trade down here is struggling.

"I know of small businesses like cafes and newsagents that are thinking of getting security on their doors because of everything that happens down here.

"The whole street is going under and if the police don't do better it won't be here in five years.

"We have kicked people out who say they'll come back, threatening to kill us.

Officers were accused of being slow to respond to criminal activity, taking inadequate action to incidents and leaving the area too soon (Image: Newsquest)

"When we leave at 4-4.30am and there are no officers along here, where's our security?

"I don't know whether it's budget or cutbacks but at around 3am when some of the clubs start closing the police are gone."

POLICE CRIME COMMISSIONER RESPONSE

PCC Taylor, who has been in the role since May, said: "The night-time economy still hasn’t recovered since Covid and the worries that were explained to me, made clear the challenges that these businesses are experiencing.

"I promise to meet with other organisations to better understand the issues and to bring the right people together to affect change.

"Those meetings have already started to be arranged and I hope to arrange a follow-up meeting soon with the business owners and door staff to find potential solutions.

"I believe that many of these issues can only be resolved by working collaboratively with Norwich City Council, the NHS and Norfolk County Council as well as other partners.

CCTV footage of when Alan Grey, a security guard who attended the meeting, was stabbed in the stomach in Prince of Wales Road (Image: Submitted)

"I would like to thank the business owners and door staff for meeting me last night, for raising the issues they are experiencing and for talking so candidly with me."

PRINCE OF WALES' HISTORY OF CRIME

Alan Grey, who attended the recent meeting with the PCC, was stabbed in the stomach as he grappled to restrain the attacker on Prince of Wales Road in October 2021.

He said the incident left him so fearful for the future he started wearing a stab vest when working the area.

In March Karl Bamber received a 12-month suspended sentence after twice punching another man in the face and fracturing his eye socket following a row in a takeaway in the road.

The owners and security guards warned the PCC of the lack of support provided by police (Image: Newsquest)

Last year, Achilles Lawrence Gate'te was sentenced to seven and half years for an ultra-violent rampage through the clubland, which had left one victim having part of his skull removed to save his life.

Last month Norwich Magistrates Court heard how Jordan Barber, 25, hit another man in the face with a glass before repeatedly punching him with the glass still in his hand. 

His victim was left with life-threatening injuries, with a slash to his temporal artery, after the attack in a pub along Prince of Wales Road on May 31.