Neighbours living near a Nottingham supermarket say they dare not leave their homes after sunset as people congregate ‘doing drugs and drinking alcohol’. Neighbours living next to the Asda supermarket on Radford Road, Hyson Green, have told of their fears and described the area as a ‘hotspot for antisocial behaviour’.
The concerns were raised by a number of residents in the area, including Marcel Stanescu, who added: "There are many people drinking and doing drugs here. And there is a lot of rubbish - this place looks garbage."
The 46-year-old, a Roma citizen who lives in Hyson Green spoke in Romanian to Nottinghamshire Live, adding: "We Roma people are hard-working and we have got nothing to do with this. We leave in the morning and we only come home at night.
"We have to go shopping in the evening and I just see it a lot. People coming here, looking for trouble.
"I think this place is the dirtiest and most miserable place in Nottingham", he added. "I have not seen anything like this anywhere else in Europe."
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Eva Jones, a mum of two living on Noel Street, added: "I would never leave my home after sunset. Everyone knows how dangerous this place is.
"What example does it offer to our children who are exposed to this? They see drug addicts and dealers spending their time here next to the supermarket - sometimes even in broad daylight", the 29-year-old added.
"We all know about this problem. And it is just so scary that it has become a hotspot for anti-social behaviour."
Harry Stephenson, a cleaner at a pub in Hyson Green, 74, added: "It is just very sad that this is happening. I would not advise anyone to leave their home in the dark here.
"It is a dangerous to find yourself here in the evening. There is a lot of rubbish on the pavement, and some people gathering at night."
Unemployed Stanery Kambwali, 50, also added: "I do not walk here at night. It is dangerous and everyone knows it.
"Sometimes it is getting really scary. People come here to smoke weed and drink, right outside the store.
"It is a hotspot for anti-social behaviour. You feel threatened as a member of community to even come to the store when it is dark.
"You are simply risking it if you leave you house to do your shopping here. It is not safe at all."
It comes after Nottinghamshire Police opened a new community hub directly outside the store's entrance for the first time in November last year. A spokesperson for Asda said: “We are working closely with Nottinghamshire Police to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area around this store.’’
Inspector Ben Lawrence, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Hyson Green is a vibrant inner city location where the police work effectively with partners, local residents and community groups to understand and address any issues. We demonstrated our commitment when we worked in partnership to address reports of ASB in and around Asda, Hyson Green. Additional government funding has also improved CCTV coverage in the area.
"We also have a dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team who work effectively alongside their Response colleagues as well as Op Reacher and specialist resources such as the Knife Crime Team. We won’t tolerate people who blight our community with criminal and antisocial behaviour and we will take action against them.
“To do that effectively we want local residents to keep us informed about the issues that matter to them so we can take action in response.”
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