Anti-social behaviour during Cheltenham Festival 'substantially decreased'

Cheltenham Borough Council said complaints of anti-social behaviour during the festival had "substantially decreased" on last year but collective efforts would need to be continued to reduce trouble in the town during jump racing's biggest meeting.

Gloucestershire police reported 547 incidents during the four days and the head of the operation Chris Nelson said the town had a "better grip" on its anti-social behaviour problem after the police, local council and racecourse came together to try to tackle the issue before this year's meeting. 

More temporary toilets and police patrols led to fewer complaints around people urinating in public, which was one of the more common offences last year. The number of incidents at the racecourse was also lower but there were still ten arrests, including two staff members suspected of stealing money. There were also several altercations during the week, with one man arrested for knocking another man's tooth out.

Nelson, Gloucestershire's police and crime commissioner, said: "After the disgusting anti-social behaviour that marred last year's festival, and the years of disruption faced by local residents, I was very clear that enough was enough and that we needed a real focus to crack down on this sort of unacceptable behaviour. That's why I called together all of those involved and asked for a new focus on the impact on the community caused by the festival, and that has led to the joined-up action and better grip on the situation that we saw this year.

"Unfortunately some clearly still haven't got the message but we have a good foundation from which to learn for next year, and show continued commitment to making sure the festival is a safe and enjoyable event for everyone."

Instances of violence and intimidation against women and girls was also a key concern and a police statement issued this week said evidence would be reviewed to spot any patterns. 

Overall incidents are still said to be higher than a typical week in Cheltenham, where there were 245 fewer incidents in the week before this year's festival. 

On the success of the measures introduced more generally, Martin Horwood, Cheltenham borough councillor, said: "Although we're still compiling the information, initial indications are that the number of complaints received by the council has substantially decreased, suggesting that the work done by the council and all our partners has been a success."

Attendances were down during the Cheltenham Festival with nearly 40,000 fewer people coming through the gates.

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