York council proposes crackdown on street drinking and antisocial behaviour

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 21:02 · Archive

York City Council plans to strengthen powers against street drinking and antisocial behaviour after a survey found it is making people feel unsafe.

Street drinking and antisocial behaviour in York is intimidating, making people feel unsafe and damaging the city's reputation, according to responses to a City of York Council consultation. More than 500 respondents overwhelmingly supported cracking down on groups of disorderly people, intimidation, coercion, pestering and invasion of personal space in the city centre. Residents, visitors and businesses told the council these problems were getting worse.

Council data showed 1,273 incidents of antisocial behaviour in the city centre in 2025/6, down from 1,410 the year before but up from 1,223 in 2023/4. Overall recorded crime fell by 3.6 per cent from 3,692 incidents in 2022/3 to 3,560 in 2025/6.

The council proposes strengthening the powers of a public space protection order to add restrictions on people persistently asking for money or donations, or pressuring or intimidating people into giving them. The order would also cover following, nagging or blocking people's paths, hindering their passage or standing close to them such as by a cash machine. However, some respondents feared such moves could criminalise homelessness, move issues elsewhere rather than solving them, affect vulnerable groups and would require visible enforcement to be effective.

The council's People Scrutiny Committee will examine the consultation findings on Monday, 26 October, with an executive decision on the proposals scheduled for Tuesday, 3 November.

How it is being reported

• 'Intimidating' behaviour making people feel 'unsafe' and 'damaging York's reputation'Street drinking and antisocial behaviour in York is intimidating, making people feel unsafe and damaging the city's reputation, according to a council survey.York Press · 21 Oct, 20:00
• 'Intimidating' behaviour making people feel 'unsafe' and 'damaging York's reputation'Street drinking and antisocial behaviour in York is intimidating, making people feel unsafe and damaging the city's reputation, according to a council survey.Gazette & Herald (Malton) · 21 Oct, 20:00

In this story: City of York Council · York

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem