Don’t come to the Barbican or the Waterfront if you can’t behave - that’s the message from Plymouth City Council and Devon and Cornwall Police.
Both organisations are working to make sure the Barbican is a safe and comfortable place to be, but they are concerned that unacceptable behaviour has shot up with the temperature.
As the lockdown further eases, more people have been flocking to Plymouth’s favourite spot. But with social distancing very much still in place and many pubs not open, crowds have been gathering, leaving litter and worse.
To help keep the Barbican cleaner:
- Six toilets opposite the Tourist Information Centre are open and now free
- Elphinstone car park toilets now open and will be free. (They are further up Madeira Road)
- Six temporary toilets will be installed on the Hoe next to the café
- Six temporary toilets are available at West Hoe Park
The permanent toilets will remain open until 10pm. The temporary toilets have to be manually locked and be closed at 9pm. More temporary toilets are being ordered.
Councillor Pete Smith, deputy leader of the Council said: “Drinking on the Barbican is a Plymouth tradition. But things are not yet back to normal.
“Many pubs are still closed. Those that are open are only doing take-away. They do not have toilet facilities. Businesses have been doing an amazing job to make sure the right safety measures are in place - it is up to the public to play their part.
"If you are old enough to drink, you are old enough to think about your actions - don’t spoil it for everyone else.”
The Council’s licensing team have been liaising with businesses to make sure they understand the measures that need to be taken.
Extra bins and collections will take place and the city’s youth team will be out and about talking to young people.
There will be a significant visible police presence in the Barbican area today to deter the gathering of large groups and prevent a repeat of yesterday’s anti-social behaviour.
Superintendent Roy Linden, Head of Local Policing and Partnerships in Plymouth, said: “The Barbican is a residential area and antisocial behaviour, including urinating in the street, will not be tolerated and those responsible should expect to be prosecuted.
“Officers being assaulted in the execution of their duties, particularly while administering first aid to someone who is injured is also clearly unacceptable. We are reviewing CCTV and speaking to witnesses in order to identify those responsible, and we will actively pursue them through the criminal justice process.
“The waterfront in Plymouth is one of the UK’s most iconic landmarks and we are working closely with our partners, including Plymouth City Council, licensees and local communities to ensure that people can continue to enjoy this incredible area in a safe and responsible way, particularly with further easing of lockdown measures being introduced on 4 July.”