From David Tut

Monday, 14 November 2016

Growing up in Hebden brings when it was a hard working mill town and most people spent more time and money in the local public houses and not restaurants the potential for some kind of usually drunken behaviour was a regular weekend threat usually in one or two pubs that don't need to be named now but the one thing we did know was that round the corner was a police station usually manned by local Bobbies who not only knew the area well but in many case's the people as well, and we knew them!

But what do we have now when we try get a response to any incident that may happen? We talk to some unknown person in a call centre miles from Hebden Bridge and have to give them directions to Crown Street, Market Street, because they don't know the area and if it's an alarm going off in the middle of the night they ask you to leave your house and see what's going on, because they don't respond to alarms as I have experienced on two separate occasions. Needless to say, I don't ring anymore. So all I can say is keep your door locked and wait for the day the that when they say your local community policing it means local.

From Gary W

Tuesday, 15 November 2016

I've lived on Market Street for nearly 20 years (I also grew up in Hebden Bridge) and I can categorically confirm that there is significantly less 'loutishness' and hardly any fighting now.

We are lucky to be living in such a safe town (compared to the other main populated areas in Calderdale). Though I wouldn't suggest people pay a visit to Halifax Brighouse or Elland etc late on a Friday/ Saturday night to see for yourselves.

Our local police have no control over the amount of funding they receive and they need to put the resources that are available where they are most needed (which is usually Halifax).

From Gary Rathbone

Wednesday, 16 November 2016

I fail to see why so called 'communities' are so quick to blame others for their failings. Good communities tend to be 'self-regulating'. If someone is 'out of order', the community knows, the community has a quiet word and it's all sorted.

I am thankful to have escaped Hebden Bridge after suffering it for eight years to a much more civilised area in Calderdale.

I have lived in many different places on our wonderful planet and found Hebden Bridge to be the most divisive and aggressive. No wonder others have issues!

Having lived for the past seven years in Brighouse I can only recommend the experience. A fantastic town, with great facilities, wonderful people and far less violence and intimidation that I experienced in Hebden Bridge.

So, Gary W, Come on over, take a look. I'll buy you a beer.

From Gary W

Wednesday, 16 November 2016

That's a very kind offer Gary. I do visit Brighouse from time to time (I also used to work there for a number of years). It has a great selection of shops and a very good Wetherspoons based in a wonderful old church building. It wasn't my intention to slag the place off. It's just that in my experience (and this is backed up from discussions with police officers attending Pub Watch meetings in the late naughties) that there is less violent crime in Hebden Bridge compared to other parts of Calderdale. However, I'm happy to concede that I may very well be wrong on this (and my views could be a little out of date) and that others will no doubt have differently informed perceptions to mine.

From David Tut

Friday, 18 November 2016

Well I never! No sooner are we talking about anti-social behaviour when Thursday night, Friday morning 3 business are attacked in the centre of Hebden Bridge. l say no more!