Confusion has surrounded reports that Piccadilly Gardens was going to be sealed off.
Yesterday Greater Manchester’s Police Chief appealed for it to be fenced off and it was reported that the council had agreed.
However in a statement issued last night police said
“the opinion at the moment having assessed the latest situation is that it is not necessary.
Both MCC and GMP will continue to monitor this closely and implement the closure should it be deemed necessary. Public safety is our shared priority.”
Interviewed on yesterday mornings Mike Sweeney show on BBC Radio Manchester Chief Inspector Ian Hopkins said that everybody knows that Piccadilly Gardens has been a hotspot for homelessness and drug dealing and that the situation has been exasperated in some way because there are so few people about”
“Why can’t we use Heras fencing” he added “and get it all closed down.it will disperse some of the issue and enable us to deal with the crime in a different way because we can’t be running to Piccadilly Gardens every two minutes arresting people.”
