Coleshill Town Centre Retail/Pub radio initiative

Dear Resident

Starting from today, 21 businesses across Coleshill High Street will have a direct radio link with us and each other.

The new retail radio scheme is based on a model that’s been used across Warwickshire with success to target anti-social behaviour and other crimes affecting town centres.

After months of groundwork and funding from the force and North Warwickshire Council, 21 radios will be given to pubs and shops on the high street.

Local Sergeant Adam Skelsey said: “This hasn’t been done in Coleshill before so this is a big step forward for us.

“I’ve been on working specifically in neighbourhood policing for about seven years now, and I’ve seen the really positive effect these radio schemes have.

“It’s not just about businesses being able to talk to each other, it’s giving them that direct line to us so we know what’s going on.

“In addition to our foot and vehicle patrols, this also means that we’ve effectively got another 21 pairs of eyes – and they’re able to spot things early and speak to us.

“This is great for shops and pubs alike. For the pubs, it’ll mean they can alert us – and other pubs – to any customers causing issues. It also means they can more easily enforce the banning of problem customers through the Pubwatch scheme.

“We’re getting really positive feedback from businesses before it even launches and we’re all looking forward to seeing what the impact is.

“Ultimately, this is about helping everyone in Coleshill to feel a bit safer – and to deter those involved in anti-social behaviour or any other crime.

“I’d like to thank North Warwickshire Council and the Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative for all their help with this.”