‘A lot of work’ going on to ‘improve’ Yorkshire’s violent estate

“A lot of work is going on” to “improve” a violent property in Yorkshire.

Buttershaw in Bradford has been revealed as one of the most violent areas in the region – with a no go park, night terrors and rowdy youths. The borough is one of the most deprived areas in the country, according to English indices of deprivation which place it in the bottom ten percentile.

Between February 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024 alone, 383 violent and sexual crimes were reported in the residential area. The property, known for its towering blocks of flats and 1940s-style homes, was the setting for the 1980s cult film Rita, Sue and Bob Too. The culture has not changed much since then, according to the locals.

Read more: Life in ‘forgotten’ Yorkshire town desperate to shake off rough nickname

One pensioner said: “It’s pretty tough. If you pick someone, they won’t back down.” Another said he had grown a reputation for “fighting and looting”. While a mother-of-two said local Wibsy Park was a “no-go zone” at night, and spoke of disruptive youths on bikes and their scary dogs.

Bradford Council has since responded, saying “a lot of work is being done to improve the borough”. The council detailed a number of schemes aimed at tackling crime and deprivation and invited local residents and businesses to work with them.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “We recognize that Buttershaw is a deprived area of ​​our borough, but a lot of work is being done to improve the neighborhood and give its residents a happier and healthier experience.”

The council added: “Our estates team recently took the decision to demolish part of one of the blocks of shops on Reevy Rd West due to its poor condition, which has improved the appearance of the area.

“There is still a lot of work to be done for us and our partners on the estate and we continue to get on with it and strive to work with residents and partners to make Buttershaw a better place for everyone.

“We prioritize working with communities for communities; if there are residents, businesses and partners with the passion and commitment to bring about real and lasting change, we would welcome the conversation.”

The council said the Buttershaw Youth Center had recently reopened after extensive renovations and was running a range of activities for young people. It works with West Yorkshire Police on Operation Steerside, tackling the misuse of vehicles and bicycles. Its teams carry out regular operations in the Royds ward (which includes Buttershaw) where there are discussions with residents about reporting nuisance quads and bikes. Last year the Neighborhoods team and local councilors organized 12 street surgeries/unpleasant bike door knocks to complement Operation Steerside and have just kicked off their ward engagement summer program for this year.

The council also listed various initiatives such as the SAFE Taskforce – a government-funded initiative targeting young people at risk of becoming involved in crime, which focuses on school attendance, social skills and mentoring programmes, alongside healthy relationships and gang culture issues. . Sandale Trust, a council-supported community charity in Bradford South, is active in the community with a social supermarket, community shop and cafe on the estate.

In addition, the Reevy Hill Family Hub is on the estate, run by the Children’s Trust, which supports families and children with education, health, benefits, work and training. Royds Community Association social prescribers at The Ridge GP practice in Ridings Way work closely with local partners, including the council, to develop activities to help residents adopt a healthy lifestyle.

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