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Cromer disorder: Pubs shut as seaside town 'in lockdown' Cromer disorder: Pubs shut as seaside town 'in lockdown'
(about 5 hours later)
A seaside town reportedly went into "lockdown" on Saturday night as disorder forced pubs and bars in the resort to shut.A seaside town reportedly went into "lockdown" on Saturday night as disorder forced pubs and bars in the resort to shut.
Venues in Cromer, Norfolk, closed for the "safety of customers and staff". Some remained closed on Sunday.Venues in Cromer, Norfolk, closed for the "safety of customers and staff". Some remained closed on Sunday.
Norfolk Police said extra officers were patrolling the town following "low level disorder". Norfolk Police said extra officers were on patrol following "low level disorder", but there were no arrests.
The force said pubs "made the decision to close" after thefts and anti-social behaviour.The force said pubs "made the decision to close" after thefts and anti-social behaviour.
Police said reports of a stabbing were unfounded, but they said there had been thefts from shops and pubs and officers had been called to reports of groups refusing to leave pubs and not paying for drinks at a restaurant. Police said reports of a stabbing were unfounded, but they said there had been thefts from shops and pubs and officers had been called to reports of groups refusing to leave pubs and not paying for drinks at an Indian restaurant.
There have been no arrests, said police. The wife of the owner of the Masala Twist restaurant said she was pinned behind a door by six women shouting abuse as she screamed that they were breaking her arm on Saturday night.
Some local people on Twitter linked the disorder to the arrival of travellers in the area. This has not been confirmed by police. Aryun Nessa said she and her husband, together with their young daughter and nephew, had been trying to get up to 40 people to leave their restaurant after they started shouting and stealing bottles of beer.
North Norfolk District Council said a group of travellers in 23 caravans had set up camp in the town's Runton Road car park but had now started to leave. "The door was shut on my arm - I am quite badly bruised and it's very painful," she said.
A spokeswoman said they arrived on Friday and the council had served a notice on Saturday for them to leave. "It's a lovely town - calm, quiet, with lovely people, but after last night's experience it has got me thinking what are we doing here."
In a statement, the local authority said: "We are working closely with the police to reassure the community, businesses and visitors to our seaside resorts. North Norfolk District Council said a group of travellers in 23 caravans had set up camp in the town's Runton Road clifftop car park but most had now left.
"The council will always act swiftly where there are illegal encampments." Council leader Tom FitzPatrick said said they arrived on Friday evening and the council had served a notice on Saturday for them to leave.
At the sceneAt the scene
Jenny Kirk, BBC NewsJenny Kirk, BBC News
Coming to Cromer today, you would not know there had been any problems last night. The streets are bustling, as you would expect, with holidaymakers eating ice-creams and chips. Coming to Cromer today, at first glance you would not know there had been any problems last night. The streets are bustling, as you would expect, with holidaymakers eating ice-creams and chips.
However, if you look more closely some of the shops and businesses that would have been trading on a peak summer Sunday have closed - including several town pubs that shut following reports of disturbances.However, if you look more closely some of the shops and businesses that would have been trading on a peak summer Sunday have closed - including several town pubs that shut following reports of disturbances.
But the leader of the district council and the town mayor - both of whom I have spoken to today - wanted to stress that the seaside resort was a safe place to be and very much open for visitors.But the leader of the district council and the town mayor - both of whom I have spoken to today - wanted to stress that the seaside resort was a safe place to be and very much open for visitors.
Residents said a group of people had been fighting in the town, which they had described as "in lockdown".Residents said a group of people had been fighting in the town, which they had described as "in lockdown".
In a statement on its Facebook page on Saturday, Cromer Pier said: "On advice from the police, the Theatre Bar is closed to the public this evening as are all the other public houses in Cromer. In a statement on its Facebook page on Saturday, Cromer Pier said its Theatre Bar was closed along with other pubs in the town.
"Apologies for any inconvenience whilst we support our local police in bringing a difficult situation in the town under control." "Apologies for any inconvenience whilst we support our local police in bringing a difficult situation in the town under control," it said.
Nearby in East Runton, a holidaymaker said up to 20 police cars arrived after the landlord at a campsite bar refused to serve some people. Police confirmed they attended the site. Nearby in East Runton, holidaymaker Chris Perry said up to 20 police cars and dog units arrived after the landlord at a campsite bar refused to serve some people. Police confirmed they attended the site.
Chris Perry said: "It was clear there was a commotion going on in the clubhouse and a group of people arrived at that bar.
"The licensee had decided they weren't going to serve them and the shutters went down at the bar and the police in huge numbers turned up - up to 20 vehicles here last night with dog units."
The town has been hosting its annual carnival week, which finished on Friday, and draws in about 250,000 people to north Norfolk, according to the organisers.The town has been hosting its annual carnival week, which finished on Friday, and draws in about 250,000 people to north Norfolk, according to the organisers.
The chairman of the carnival committee, Tony Shipp, said: "It's been a fantastic carnival week but this has taken the shine off things." The chairman of the carnival committee, Tony Shipp, said people taking part in a parade on Friday had been pelted with objects including bottles.
"It's been a fantastic carnival week but this has taken the shine off things," he said.
A cafe owner from the resort said businesses had taken a "huge hit" on what should have been their busiest weekend of the year.A cafe owner from the resort said businesses had taken a "huge hit" on what should have been their busiest weekend of the year.
Laurie Scott said: "There was a large group of people in town, causing some commotion and being very intimidating concerning businesses, so much so that... all of the pubs in Cromer - maybe six, seven, eight pubs - were closed at 7pm to guarantee the safety of their customers and staff. Laurie Scott said: "There was a large group of people in town, causing some commotion and being very intimidating concerning businesses, so much so that... all of the pubs in Cromer - maybe six, seven, eight pubs - were closed at 7pm to guarantee the safety of their customers and staff."
"There is a feeling of unease within the town and anger that at the end of our busiest week of the year this has happened." North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb said: "Certainly from the people I've talked to in the town, what happened yesterday was pretty intolerable and it is really important that the police deal very firmly with the perpetrators of this."
North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb tweeted on Saturday: "Very concerned by what I've read online tonight. Supt Malcolm Cooke of Norfolk Police said: "We acknowledge there have been a number of incidents in Cromer over the weekend, which will understandably cause concern.
"Of course happy to support people in Cromer in any way I can."
Norfolk Police said extra officers were on patrol "to provide reassurance to the local community".
Supt Malcolm Cooke said: "Local businesses were made aware of a small number of incidents dealt with by officers, but no official police direction was given that businesses should close.
"We acknowledge there have been a number of incidents in Cromer over the weekend, which will understandably cause concern.
"However, I can assure residents these incidents have been dealt with appropriately and are of a nature routinely dealt with in towns such as Cromer on a busy August weekend.""However, I can assure residents these incidents have been dealt with appropriately and are of a nature routinely dealt with in towns such as Cromer on a busy August weekend."
Were you in Cromer on Saturday night? Did you see any disorder? What was the atmosphere like in the town? E-mail us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Pubs, restaurants and shops in nearby Sheringham also closed early on Saturday because of concern the problems in Cromer might spread, according to organisers of a festival and visitors to the town.
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