Help reduce Hackney’s £84,000 Christmas party bill
December can be an expensive month, for none more so than the local police and Council Community Safety team, who face a bill of more than £84,000 for over 4,000 extra hours during the festive period.
Dalston, Shoreditch and Hackney Central will be the focus of extra patrols, on peak days and at peak times, cracking down on anti-social behaviour, and keeping revellers and residents safe.
The Community Safety Wardens work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and have the power to issue fines for antisocial behaviour such as noise, urinating in the street, illegal street trading, graffiti and littering. The Council’s mobile CCTV van will also be out and about in the borough, as will the Trading Standards team making test purchases at off licence premises suspected of selling alcohol to under-18s.
Residents and visitors are reminded that Old Street is not included in the Northern Line Night Tube service. It is only open on the Charing Cross branch. Night buses run throughout Hackney but make sure you plan your journey home before heading out.
People choosing to take a taxi home are advised to always use a black cab or pre-booked minicab to ensure that their journey is safe and legal. If you are booking a mini cab through a mobile app check the car you get into is the one you have booked. If it is possible to share your journey with a friend make sure you send it to them so they can check you are home safely.
Hackney is known for its vibrant night life which is enjoyed by locals and visitors from across the capital and beyond. While we want everyone to have fun, we also want to make sure that visitors get home safely, our residents feel safe and that the streets remain clean and pleasant. If you are celebrating in Hackney please consider the way you behave, and the impact it has on local people, please take care of yourself and others, and make sure you have a plan to get home.
We are committed to providing the best possible service to ensure the public have a safe and enjoyable time over the festive period. We have planned lots of extra patrols at key times and days. But we cannot be everywhere, so we ask that people make sensible decisions when socialising: be careful when ‘preloading’ (quickly drinking strong alcohol at the start of a night), use reputable taxis, don’t leave your drink where it could be spiked, keep your phone secure in bars, be aware of people around you if texting in the street, and take care of very drunk friends. Lastly, from Hackney Police, have a fantastic Christmas!
If you would like to contact your neighbourhood warden call 020 8356 6867 or email: wardens@hackney.gov.uk.