A town in the South West has been described as “under siege” from feral machete gangs by locals. However, according to a podcaster, the town is better off than many in one aspect.
Bridgwater, in Somerset, has “always been a bit rough around the edges,” says podcaster Joe Fish. However, the town’s reputation has taken a hit recently, with residents claiming it’s overrun with masked teenagers, some wielding knives, who they believe are part of notorious “County Lines” drug gangs.
A local pub owner told The Sun that children as young as 14 are carrying machetes, while another labelled the area a “fleapit”.
Local Conservative councillor Diogo Rodrigues told the BBC he witnessed drug dealing in broad daylight, with the criminals sitting in a car just off the main high street. He said: “I reported the registration number of the car to the police and the fact that there were two young girls in the back – they looked about six, seven years of age, that’s really concerning,”.
That wasa month ago, but police have yet to respond to his report. Bridgwater’s Conservative MP, Ashley Fox, stated after his election in May that tackling anti-social behaviour in local town centres, particularly in Bridgwater, was his top priority.
He said that during his canvassing in the election campaign “on the doorstep, crime and antisocial behaviour came up many times.”, reports the Mirror.
Labour police and crime commissioner Clare Moody made tackling antisocial behaviour a priority from the outset, visiting Bridgwater town centre on her third day in office. Later the same month a man was taken to hospital after being stabbed in an early evening “fracas” between a group of people in the town centre one weekend.
Bridgwater was named Somerset’s most dangerous medium-sized town in 2023, with a crime rate that measured 133 per cent higher than the rest of the South West. In July 2022, it also became the county’s hotspot for weapon possession, with five recorded crimes at a rate of 0.13 per 1,000 residents.
A local youth recounted to Joe how he had often been chased by knife-wielding peers, highlighting that those under 18 are most at risk of knife-related deaths. “Last year over 2,300 violent incidents took place here in Bridgewater,” Joe reports, “and that’s just the ones that were reported to police.”
However, Joe notes that amidst the concerning statistics, Bridgwater’s high street is weathering the economic challenges better than many, maintaining a bustling array of shops while other market towns face a proliferation of closures.
Joe was notably impressed by the promising details, stating: “I have to say on first impressions Bridgewater looks alright. All of the shops are open, and it’s not often I get to say that on my travels across the UK,” There’s also a sense of optimism with the construction of the new nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C, which is attracting thousands of workers to the area. Additionally, plans are underway for a massive new factory, anticipated to be Britain’s largest electric car battery plant.
Bridgwater Town Council has been contacted for their comments.