Bridgwater Machete Teens Run Riot Town Offers Hopeful Discovery

Some say Bridgwater feels like it’s “under siege.” Joe Fish thinks Bridgwater is better than some towns. People feel the town’s reputation dropped. Locals claim masked teens run the town and associate these teens with drug gangs.

A pub owner said kids as young as 14 carry machetes. Another called the area a “fleapit.” Diogo Rodrigues saw drug dealing on the main street and reported a car holding two young girls to police a month ago. He still awaits a response from them.

Ashley Fox said fixing anti-social behavior is key. People frequently mentioned crime during his campaign. Clare Moody made anti-social behavior a priority too, and visited Bridgwater early in her term. Later, a brawl sent a man to the hospital.

Bridgwater was Somerset’s most dangerous town in 2023, with a crime rate much higher than the South West’s. In 2022, Bridgwater led Somerset in weapon possession.

A local youth said peers with knives often chase him. Joe said those under 18 face fatal knife attacks most often. Joe revealed that Bridgwater had over 2,300 violent incidents, but police were only told about the reported cases.

Joe also found good things amid the bad news: the town’s high street is doing well economically. Many market towns struggle with boarded-up shops, but Bridgwater’s main shopping street is active and has stores.

Joe was happy to see the open stores and said it’s rare to see that across the UK. A new nuclear plant, Hinkley Point C, brings many workers, and a large electric car battery plant is also planned.

Bridgwater Town Council representatives received a request for their comments.