News / Bearpit
Mayor to take action over ‘toxic’ Bearpit situation
Marvin Rees has condemned the actions of a “small minority” for creating what he has described as a “dangerous and toxic environment” in the Bearpit.
The mayor issued a statement following an assault in the sunken roundabout in Bristol city centre on Tuesday morning, saying the council “cannot turn a blind eye to escalating crime and anti-social behaviour”.
He confirmed the council will be working to “secure the area as soon as possible” and warned that people who have been squatting there for several months will face eviction as a final resort, urging those who are homeless to accept the support on offer.
The announcement comes in the wake of increasingly contentious debate over the future of the Bearpit.
The mayor says the council cannot turn a blind eye to escalating crime and anti-social behaviour
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Rees said: “After an incident this morning and significant concerns about public safety and escalating anti-social behaviour, we must ensure the safety of the public in the Bearpit.
“A small minority of people are creating a toxic and dangerous environment which is negatively impacting local businesses, has seen volunteers afraid to work in the area, and left citizens afraid to walk through it.
“Containers and a bus have been occupied by squatters which have publicly stated they are homeless. We have therefore ensured homeless outreach workers frequently visit them and the group has received multiple offers of support to move off the streets. Some have accepted this support, but a small few have refused.
“Not only are there escalating costs for the council, which could be better spent on achieving long-term homeless prevention work, but we cannot ignore complaints from people who find the area intimidating and dangerous. We also cannot turn a blind eye to escalating crime and anti-social behaviour.
“The council is therefore working to secure the area as soon as possible, and we would appeal to any people still currently squatting there to accept the help of homeless support which is readily available to them, otherwise we have no choice but to evict them.”
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