High street 'no go area as drug incidents surge'

13 hours ago

Alison StephensonLocal Democracy Reporting Service

News image — Work to deal with problems in Ilfracombe include community groups contributing to a street marshals initiative

BBC The picture is an aerial photo of a coastal town, showing a mix of buildings, green spaces and cliffs beside the sea. In the foreground there is a cluster of tightly packed houses and shops with pale and pastel‑coloured walls. A tall church with a pointed spire and a roof marked with green and brown patches sits near the centre of the image, surrounded by narrow streets and parked cars. — Work to deal with problems in Ilfracombe include community groups contributing to a street marshals initiative

A seaside town in Devon is calling for help amid rising crime and anti-social behaviour, saying its high street is now seen as a "no go" area for some.

Ilfracombe Town Council has written to the Devon and Cornwall police and crime commissioner, warning the situation was becoming "intolerable" and asking for more officers on streets.

Councillors have described a sharp rise in shoplifting, street violence and intimidation, alongside people "being undressed and screaming in the middle of the road" while under the influence of drink and drugs.

Commissioner Alison Hernandez said she would raise concerns with police and look at more support. North Devon Council said it was also looking at the town.

A large statue of a human figure stands on a seafront, holding a long sword pointed up into the sky, with steep green cliffs rising behind it. In the foreground, two people stand side by side looking up at the statue under a clear blue sky with the sun shining brightly. — The Damien Hirst statue Verity stands on the pier at the entrance to the harbour in Ilfracombe

Shop workers had reported being assaulted, with some told police would not attend incidents because suspects had already left, said the council.

"As citizens, we should all be able to go about our daily lives and work without the threat of violence and theft," the council said.

"It is the police's job to investigate crime, prosecute offenders and keep communities safe."

The authority linked rising crime to poverty, poor housing and health inequality, with parts of Ilfracombe recording life expectancies about 14 years lower than wealthier areas nearby, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Many former guest houses had been turned into flats housing people with "complex drug, alcohol or mental health needs", while support services had been cut back, the council said.

It added that it had been proactive in trying to tackle these issues, along with community groups, charities and churches, and contributed £8,000 to a street marshals initiative.

The group One Ilfracombe had been successful in local initiatives for a youth club and one-to-one work with hard-to-reach teenagers, but statutory agencies were "failing in their obligation and commitment to addressing the problems that Ilfracombe faces".

Google A bright, sunlit high street stretches into the distance, lined with rows of older multi-storey buildings housing shops and cafes, including a Costa storefront on the right. Cars are parked along both sides of the road while a few pedestrians walk on the pavements, with decorations strung across the street overhead against a clear blue sky. — The town council says shop workers had been assaulted

According to Devon and Cornwall Police statistics, there were 364 violence and sexual offences, 287 anti-social behaviour incidents and 121 shoplifting cases in central and east Ilfracombe from April 2025 to March 2026.

Hernandez said she would explore what more her office could do to support the town, including encouraging businesses to join a crime reporting scheme that helped police secure shoplifting prosecutions and raising awareness of support for people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

She said funding from her office had already backed street marshals and expanded services for vulnerable young people, including those at risk of exploitation, school exclusion and poor mental health, as well as an anti-social behaviour outreach programme.

"Through my councillor advocate scheme, I work with local authority members to tackle issues such as these," she said.

North Devon Council said it was stepping up its focus on Ilfracombe, with new investment in housing including 16 affordable homes and a £3m "healthy homes" project which includes turning the former Royal Mail building into eight units.

Leaders said they believed improving housing conditions was key to improving people's lives in the town.