A Manchester City Centre User Survey, commissioned by Manchester Community Safety Partnership, found that 93 per cent of people asked felt safe in the city centre at night – with 55 per cent of people saying they felt ‘very safe’.
The public were asked how safe they felt when out at night in the city centre as part of the survey, done on Friday and Saturday evenings. Almost all visitors said they were likely to visit Manchester again, with 97 per cent thinking about return trips. The most popular reason for being in Manchester city centre in the evening was to visit a bar (56 per cent) followed by going to a restaurant (35 per cent). An estimated 150,000 people visit Manchester city centre each weekend to enjoy the city’s night-life creating a vibrant and important night-time economy.
The survey saw 1101 people asked about their views of the city centre at locations across Manchester.
Councillor Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council executive member for neighbourhoods, said: “Manchester’s night-life is legendary and we boast a cosmopolitan city centre whose bars, restaurants, theatres and music venues draw visitors from far and wide. If we are to retain our reputation as one of the UK’s most popular destinations it is vital that people feel safe here at night.”
Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council lead member for the city centre, said: “The results of this survey show that efforts being made by ourselves and the police are working. However more can always be done and we will continue to strive to improve public safety in the city centre and to build on the already positive perception of Manchester.”
Chief Inspector Gareth Parkin from Greater Manchester Police said: “We work hard as part of the Community Safety Partnership to ensure visitors to Manchester city centre feel safe while they enjoy all of the fantastic things that our city has to offer and it’s great to see that the results of this survey reflect that.
“We are committed to tackling the issues that have the most impact on the city centre such as anti-social behaviour and violent crime and regularly link in with partners to ensure we are working in the most effective way. Crime in the city centre impacts on the whole community and the public’s perception is important in ensuring that everyone feels safe and can enjoy their night without worrying.”
To further explore people’s experience of the city centre, a second survey is planned.
