Business owners have warned that people are too scared to go onto a town centre street amid fears of a rise in violence at weekends.
The comments come after a man was filmed waving a knife outside of a family restaurant in King Street, Great Yarmouth.
The video shows a man shouting before pulling a knife out of his pocket. A teenager captured the footage after eating at the Yankee Traveller, on Sunday November 18.
Courtney Gallant, manager at Liberty’s Public House, opposite the restaurant, said she had seen an increase in violence.
Ms Gallant has worked in King Street for seven years. She said: “King Street is the place to be in Great Yarmouth at the weekend with all the clubs and bars, but I have noticed fewer people coming down. People are scared to come into town: they don’t feel safe with the increase in violence.”
It is believed that the man had been shouting in the street when someone above the restaurant shouted back to him. This is when the man in the video pulls out a knife.
Ms Gallant added: “It’s the kind of people that we get down this part of town now. In the week it is okay but at the weekend I have seen a drop in people coming to Kings Street.”
The footage was sent to police on Twitter after a concerned parent sent it to former UKIP county councillor Jonathon Childs.
Mr Childs raised concerns that CCTV in the town was not monitored and called for a knife amnesty bin.
Carl Asker, manager at King Street Traders, said that although business had not changed over the years, the nightlife had.
He said: “Business wise, in the day, things haven’t really changed. But at night I see a lot more gangs of people about. I do not live in the area but if I did I would not let my children out at night. I can image for those who live here it can be scary.
“I have seen all sorts on my CCTV and we have a number of drug raids by the police on the flats behind us.”
The incident comes after a man in his 50s was found with fatal stab wounds at a property in South Market Road.
Last year three people suffered knife injuries and armed police were called to St Peter’s Road after an incident.
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