Businesses in the Cathedral Quarter are calling for police to do more to stop the area becoming a hotspot for drugs and anti-social behaviour.
The Cathedral Quarter is a popular part of Belfast city centre that is known for its pubs, restaurants and nightlife, however in recent months there have been growing concerns regarding drug users and dealers coming to the area.
It has been alleged that some of the issues stem from two apartment blocks located in the area where drugs are being dealt from. One business owner said they have seen constant drug deals coming from them, including one occasion where drugs were dropped down from an upper floor apartment with a piece of string to those waiting below.
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Those working in the area have said that it is a common sight to see drug dealing take place on the street, along with addicts using the alleys behind their premises to do drugs, often leaving behind used needles and other drug paraphernalia.
Speaking to Belfast Live, a number of business owners and workers in the Cathedral Quarter said that more needs to be done by the police and council to address the issues.
One business owner said: "Over the past few years there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour issues in the Cathedral Quarter and it is making a very popular part of the town feel unsafe.
"You will often see people taking or dealing drugs and I have lost count of the amount of times that we have found used needles or people doing drugs at the rear of our premises. There are also people who look like they are homeless and begging, when in reality they are using it as a cover to sell drugs.
"There are people walking around the area like zombies, high out of their heads, and there have even been times we have seen fist fights between people in the middle of the street.
"Almost every single day you will see some sort of deal take place and one time I actually witnessed them drop drugs down on a piece of string from an upper floor apartment to those waiting down below.
"We pay a levy to the police for the area and I don't feel like they are doing enough and have a large enough presence down here, because when there are officers about those people causing the problems don't tend to stay in the area."
Another person who worked in the area said that it was sad to see the number of addicts in the city centre and felt that more needs to be done to address addiction issues and provide support for those affected.
They said: "Since the pandemic has lifted you can notice there has been an increase of addicts and homeless in the area. I go out for a smoke break and usually see some sort of deal take place, and if I can notice it in the five minutes that I am out I don't see why the police don't.
"I am sure our business and others here would be happy to do something to support the addicts in the area and I think something like the SOS Bus coming here for them could go a long way in helping them get the support that they need."
Willie Jack, the owner of the Duke of York and Harp Bar, is the longest serving licensee in the Cathedral Quarter and has been in the area for over 37 years. During that time he has seen the area transform and while most of this has been for the better, he says the pandemic has highlighted a lack of investment in the city centre and believes it needs to be made safer for everyone.
He said: "The Cathedral Quarter is very different to what it was 20 years ago and is becoming more and more popular with the businesses moving into the area, but the Covid pandemic has highlighted the issues that the city centre as a whole is facing.
"It is poorly represented from Monday to Friday, and it is not getting enough support from the Council or Assembly.
"We are seeing addiction and homeless issues emerge across the city centre and more needs to be done to ensure that it is a safe place for everyone. No one should feel unsafe or intimidated visiting or working here, but at the moment we have places like the Cathedral gardens where people are openly shooting up drugs.
"More needs to be done to encourage a more European style of living where more people would live and work in the city centre, where at the moment it feels like a dumping ground for people who have been put out elsewhere.
"Police have their resources stretched and it would be good if elected representatives were able to join them and see the issues that are arising here. There needs to be stricter punishments to penalise dealers, which could help put an end to some of the sights we see where people are walking around like zombies.
"It is disappointing to see the lack of investment into the city centre, because the businesses here contribute so much in rates and it feels like we are getting nothing in return.
"When Belfast is booming it is felt across the whole of Northern Ireland and it is vital that the city is a welcoming place for tourists, locals and those coming here to work."
Police have said that over the last six months it has increased the number of officers patrolling in the area over busy periods and are committed to working to ensure that Belfast is a safe place to live, visit and work.
Chief Inspector Fox said: “Over the last 6 months we have proactively increased the number of officers patrolling this area over busy periods to ensure the safety of the public and business premises.
"We will continue to work with partner agencies including Belfast City Council, Local Businesses, Business Improvement Districts Managers and Housing Providers to tackle anti-social behaviour.
"When we receive information and reports from the public in relation to these incidents, we routinely conduct surge operations and deploy significant resources into this area to deter crime and reassure the public.
“We would encourage anyone with information around anti-social behaviour to report this to Police or Belfast City Council as this allows us to effectively respond as well as monitor any trends.
"We are keen to ensure that all of Belfast remains a safe place to live, visit and work.
“I would appeal to anyone with any information in relation to issues of anti-social behaviour to contact police on 101 or their local Neighbourhood Policing Team.”
Radius Housing, who operate the Coopers Court apartments, said they are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and have been working closely with the PSNI and local businesses to do so.
A spokesperson for Radius Housing said “At Radius Housing we are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and ensuring that communities are safe. Over recent years we have been working closely with the PSNI and local businesses to tackle these issues in the Cathedral Quarter area, and we will continue to do so.
“We have recently initiated additional security checks at Coopers Court, and Radius staff are engaging with tenants to advise them of their responsibilities. We will monitor all feedback and reports relating to anti-social behaviour and, where such incidents occur, they should be reported to the PSNI so the necessary action can be taken.”
Choice Housing, who operate the Donegall Street apartments, said: "The safety of our tenants and the wider community is of paramount importance to us and we are committed to providing secure, affordable, quality housing to meet the diverse needs of our tenants.
"We have onsite security in place at our Donegall Street scheme during evenings and weekends and encourage tenants or members of the community to contact the Association directly regarding any issue or concern they may have.
"We can advise that Choice robustly addresses incidents of anti-social behaviour in accordance with our Anti-Social Behaviour Policy."
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