Nottingham could become the first UK city centre to ban balaclavas, as council leaders draw up plans to prosecute and fine anyone caught wearing the face coverings amid growing concern over masked criminals terrorising the streets on e-bikes.
Nottingham City Council is consulting on a new Public Spaces Protection Order targeting nuisance and anti-social behaviour in the city centre, including busking and begging. While a balaclava ban is not currently part of that order, council leader Neghat Khan has indicated a separate, smaller consultation could follow if public support is strong enough.
Khan was direct about the reasoning behind the proposal. “It’s a serious concern. People on e-bikes; it’s 32 degrees and you’re wearing a balaclava. That’s not acceptable,” she said. “It’s about safety. People have got to feel confident. This is a place on the up but they’ve got to feel safe, day or night.”
The proposal has won support from campaigners and local business owners alike. Amy Hodson-Ridgeway, 34, whose son was injured in a hit-and-run involving an e-bike, told The Telegraph she wanted to see the policy rolled out nationally. “It would help keep all communities safe. These face coverings provide anonymity to countless individuals committing crimes and helps them evade accountability.”
A local shopkeeper, who asked not to be named, said masked youths regularly target his shop knowing they are unlikely to face consequences. “It gives them confidence to hide behind a mask, they know they will probably not get caught as their faces are covered from CCTV.”
The proposal comes against a backdrop of serious concern about crime levels in the city. Nottingham is currently the seventh most dangerous place to live outside London, according to the latest nationwide crime data, with approximately 122.2 crimes recorded per 1,000 residents. “As the leader of the council, that’s not a tag I want,” Khan said. “I don’t care who it is, any time, day or night, you should feel safe. This is your city and we’re not going to let criminals and others take it over.” She said she would not rest until Nottingham was “the safest city in the country.”
The push for action follows a series of high-profile incidents involving masked individuals on e-bikes. Last November, balaclava-clad youths brandishing machetes were caught on CCTV terrorising shoppers at Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland, darting around Old Market Square on e-bikes during one of the city’s busiest events of the year.
The balaclava proposal emerged the same week the council launched its 2050 Nottingham Vision, setting out ten ideas for the city’s development over the next 25 years. The consultation on the proposed Public Spaces Protection Order will run until 23 June.
