Northampton crime 'hotspot' walkway to be temporarily closed

The local council said Emporium Way had become "a hotspot for anti-social behaviour and crime"

A town centre walkway where three serious sexual assaults have taken place in six months has been temporarily closed.

Emporium Way in Northampton links the Market Square to Sheep Street and nearby car parks.

West Northamptonshire Council's (WNC) cabinet decided it should shut until work on the Market Square is completed.

The council said there had recently been a "significant increase" in crime in the walkway.

The entrance to Emporium Way is the last visible reminder of the Emporium Arcade, built in 1901 to house more than 50 independent shops and offices. The arcade was demolished in 1972.

The walkway that replaced it was now, according to WNC, "a hotspot for anti-social behaviour and crime including loitering, urination, muggings, fighting, drug dealing and other illicit activities".

The entrance to Emporium Way was the site of the entrance to the Emporium Arcade

WNC said there were 16 crimes from September 2021 to August 2023, up from just four in the last recorded year.

It carried out a consultation and found that 60% of respondents believed that crime and anti-social behaviour were an issue in the walkway, and over a third had witnessed an incident themselves.

Almost 60% wanted to see a gate installed across the entrance.

The council said it was difficult to protect Emporium Way from vandalism and criminal damage

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) will be enforced to close the walkway until redevelopment work on the adjacent Market Square gets completed - likely by next summer.

David Smith, WNC's cabinet member for community safety and engagement, said: "I am confident that temporarily closing Emporium Way will have a positive impact on crime and anti-social behaviour in Northampton town centre and will help create a better environment for residents, shoppers and local businesses who invest here.

"Due to the low ceiling height in the underpass and layout of the alleyway, CCTV coverage is very limited and often vandalised, at great cost to the taxpayer."