Manchester Piccadilly Gardens: Police to tackle anti-social behaviour

Police have vowed to tackle anti-social behaviour in a city centre garden, saying it "attracts too many of the wrong sort of people".

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson wants to crack down on people drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis in Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens.

He said the area looked "poor".

Operation Vulcan - set up to tackle organised crime - will be brought to the area "within weeks".

The police operation, which began in 2022, has previously targeted Cheetham Hill and Strangeways, which were known as the UK's capital for counterfeit goods.

Some 215 fake designer shops have been shut down as a result, police said.

Plans for the regeneration of Piccadilly Gardens are expected to be submitted to Manchester City Council next year.

Architects LDA Design were chosen to work on the plans which will go to a public consultation.

Mr Watson said: "Piccadilly Gardens is not the gateway to Manchester that any of us want.

"It looks poor. It attracts too many of the wrong sort of people. It creates a sense of lawlessness and a lack of safety.

"Too often, there's a smell of cannabis and it does need tidying up."

He added: "Vulcan Piccadilly is coming soon. I've just appointed two additional chief inspectors who will oversee the leadership responsibility.

"We are absolutely determined to clear up Piccadilly Gardens and we are working really closely with Manchester City Council".

Bev Craig, the leader of Manchester City Council, said: "We still have some problems around Piccadilly Gardens both in terms of real and perceived crime.

"An operation is being planned with Greater Manchester Police.

"The idea being that anyone that has any interest in committing a crime won't be going anywhere near Piccadilly Gardens."

The last major refurbishment of Piccadilly Gardens took place before the Commonwealth Games in 2002, when the sunken gardens were filled in, land was sold off to build an office block and concrete walls were installed.

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