Cowley Road and Park End Street top list of Oxford crime hotspots

An analysis of crime statistics has found that Cowley Road and Park End Street were by far the most crime-ridden areas of the city last year.

With more than 200 offences recorded on or near each of these streets in 2018, the revelation has prompted calls for more to be done to control disorder connected to Oxford's nightlife.

Read also: Every street in Oxford ranked for crime

County councillor Susanna Pressel, whose ward covers Park End Street, said: “The clubs and their managers come and go and some are better than others, but certainly they tend to keep the police busy.

"With the dreadful cuts to police numbers since 2010, they are inevitably overstretched.

Google Maps photo of Park End Street showing Atik on the right, Thirst on the left, and other restaurants and shops.

"Nearby residents have told me that there was screaming, shouting and general hooliganism in Hythe Bridge Street for the entire night last Saturday.

"No-one should have to put up with this – or with brutal attacks, of course."

ALSO READ: Man injured in fight near Park End Street

Using data from the Police.UK website, which collates crimes in Oxford by their location, The Oxford Mail has ranked every street in the city to establish where the biggest problem areas are.

The statistics do not include premises such as larger supermarkets, nightclubs and car parks, which are listed independently on the site, or traffic offences.

In Park End Street, home to numerous bars and clubs, many of the 204 crimes recorded were of a violent or sexual nature while there were also problems with drugs.

Video of a fight outside ATIK on Park End Street in Oxford by Zak Taylor screen grab taken from the video he put up online via Facebook.

This week student Elijah Davidson, 23, of St Thomas Street, Oxford, was jailed after he launched a 'savage attack' in which he bit a bystander and a bouncer in Park End Street in February.

It was the latest in a series of brutal alcohol-fuelled attacks seen in this area in recent months.

Ms Pressel has contacted the police, county council and licensing department and has called for any particularly problematic premises to have their licences reviewed.

The general manager of the Lighthouse pub next to the Worcester Street Car Park, Didier Savioz, said he employs extra security on weekends to keep troublemakers out but he frequently witnesses problems on the street.

Read more: Bullingdon prison inmates smuggled in letters soaked in Spice

He said: "We shut relatively early and I think the majority of the problems are during the early hours of the morning so you don't see everything.

"We don't have any issues inside the pub but you do see fights kick off on the street.

"I've worked here for four years and can't say it has got any worse or better: for a few weeks nothing happens then one weekend it all kicks off.

"The police are good at responding whenever you need them – I'm not sure what more can be done."

In Cowley Road, 226 offences were recorded in 2018. These included a mix of shoplifting, bike thefts, drugs and violent and sexual offences.

Google Maps photo of Cowley Road.

Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council's lead member from crime whose St Clement's ward also includes part of the street, insisted that he felt safe there at all times.

He added: "Cowley Road is a busy, bustling, extremely long road that brings people in from all over so will inevitably attract some crime, therefore I am surprised and not surprised [to hear it topped the list].

"Adding alcohol to any situation does tend to increase the risk of criminality but crime that makes people feel unsafe should never be seen as inevitable.

"We need an active and visible police presence. If people see an officer on the street, they are less likely to be criminally leery.

Read also: The latest results from court

"These figures are also unlikely to give the full picture as many crimes go unreported. My message to anyone concerned about this is to report all crimes to help inform police where best to put their limited resources."

Alongside the recognisable street names featuring in the top five, were some more unexpected places.

Avenue Lane (pictured below), Cowley Place and Rose Hill made up the rest of the worst offenders.

Home to the back entrance of Cowley Road Tesco and close to East Oxford Primary School, Avenue Lane has seen a number of problems with drug-dealing and drug using in the adjacent Union Street car park.

Mr Hayes, who is also the councillor for this area, said he was well aware of the problems.

He said the council's priority, working within Oxford's new drugs taskforce, was to talk to residents and 'design out' the possibility for crime in problem areas.

Read also: Teenager led police on chase up Cowley Road in stolen car

But he said cuts to council funding from central Government meant that resources were having to be spread more and more thinly.

Cowley Place, homes to St Hilda's College and Magdalen College School, featured on the list because of the large number of bike thefts reported from the racks at the top of the road near The Plain roundabout.

A spokeswoman for St Hilda's said the college had introduced secure bike parking for staff and students within the grounds of the college itself.

Google Map showing Cowley Place off The Plain in East Oxford.