Home, a popular modern European style restaurant owned by MasterChef semi-finalist Elizabeth Cottam has relocated out of Kirkgate due to high levels of street violence.
Ms. Cottam has spent around £300,000 on the move and has relocated the restaurant to the other side of the River Aire for a more enjoyable experience for her customers who pay a premium price to eat there.
Spanning the four years her restaurant was in Kirkgate her staff witnessed two deaths and significant amounts of anti-social behaviour ranging from spitting and shouting to fighting.
Stuart Dales, an owner of a nearby café said although he does not feel unsafe, the area “is a bit scruffy” and there tend to be a few “scuffs and fights”.
Mr Dales said he did not think the police were using their full potential and that he would “like to see more of a police presence in the area.”
A police officer operating around the Kirkgate area said “there are some areas in Kirkgate that are safe but recently there has been an increase in crime such as criminal damage, theft and burglary.”
“There will always be designated PCO officers specifically in Kirkgate to protect the area but there is always a shortage of police officers” he said.
“There are safe areas and there are also areas with a lot of crime.”
A passer-by said that she “doesn’t often see police” and that it needed improving. She also did not like walking around the area at night time and that it “needed more lighting on the streets”.
Highlighting how unsafe people feel on the streets at night.
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