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Bid to put Norwich nightclubs on an out-of-town industrial estate
Prince of Wales Road at night. Picture: Denise Bradley - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2012
A Norwich councillor has suggested that a nightclub zone be set up on an industrial estate to improve issues with Prince of Wales Road.
Ben Price, city councillor for Thorpe Hamlet ward, put forward the idea ahead of a meeting on Monday which aims to improve the late night economy.
The stakeholder forum meeting is open to residents, and is set to review the authority's 12-point plan to tackle problems with the night time economy in the city centre.
The initial plan was approved last year, amid increased efforts to smooth tensions between residents and the late night trade.
'We're going to review the 12-point action plan and see what the response is on the ground,' said Mr Price. 'Maybe from that we will push some of the points forward again.
'It went a certain distance, but it needs to go a whole lot further.'
He said he had written to Norfolk's Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Bett to ask for a guarantee that police funding would not be cut in this area of the city and on this issue.
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He said ideas from residents were welcome, and he hoped to put forward some of his own, including the idea of creating a new late night activity zone on an industrial estate on the edge of the city.
'We could offer some of the types of activities you do on Prince of Wales Road in a space that's away from residents, that could reduce the impact of anti-social behaviour,' he said. 'I've got to see whether or not the council, the police or the public would be open to that.
'I think it could be done. It's just whether there's a will to do it.'
He stressed he did not have a specific site in mind for this.
Keith Driver, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and community safety, said it was important to debate ideas but was not sure whether this idea was workable.
'They are early ideas we need to discuss, but to police and get taxis there would be a problem,' he said.
He added that years ago there were nightclubs in three areas of Norwich – including Tombland and Anglia Square – and there were problems in all three.
Monday's meeting is set to take place at Jurnets Bar, in Wensum Lodge, King Street from 7pm.
