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By Brandon Norbury
PUB MANAGERS and business owners in Selby have expressed concern at rising levels of violence in the town centre after two incidents in the past month.
A 32-year-old man from the town has been charged with wounding causing grievous bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm following a disturbance which left two men needing hospital treatment.
He is due to appear at York Magistrates’ Court on November 16.
The incidence happened outside the Blackamoor Head pub on Finkle Street on the night of September 16.
A 31-year-old man was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with facial injuries and a 27-year-old man was taken to York District Hospital.
Police are also investigating a separate incident which occurred at another town centre pub at 2.50pm on October 9, when a man became abusive and threw a bottle across the bar after being asked for identification.
Emma Ackroyd, licensee of The Cricketers Arms, Market Place, said: “We do not experience violence in the pub but there has been an increase in the streets.
“It tends to be younger people that are fighting in the streets and they are generally already inebriated.”
Steve Whitehead, manager of the Griffin Hotel on Finkle Street, said: “Over the last few years, there has been an increase in violence out on the streets, however it is misrepresented as being in the pubs.
“They are all outside these days. We personally have very little trouble.”
Stephen Ledger, co-owner of Brooke Street Deli Bar, a sandwich shop near the centre of Selby, said: “I don’t go out in Selby now. Cheap booze at supermarkets and the like have made it too easy to stay in and drink at home and to be honest that’s where I also feel safest.”
Melanie Davis, former mayor of Selby Town Council said: “I am not aware of any major increase in violence, for a while the district council funded night marshals in town and that seemed to make a significant difference.
“The police are doing a good job under their circumstances.”