The High Street environment at night has steadily changed over the past 5 years. Even allowing for Covid, the night-time economy has changed, with more of an emphasis on the restaurant trade rather than bars/pubs and clubs. While the latter continue to operate, the numbers of users of these premises has undoubtedly fallen. In addition, the younger generation are slightly less inclined towards binge drinking (and drinking full stop).
The Street Angel Saturday rota has therefore moved to an earlier pattern of operating, from 8.00 to 11.00pm, although the later night shift (10.00pm to 3.00am) will still operate at least once a month and on special days eg New Year’s Eve and A-Level results night. In addition to patrolling the High Street, as has been the case, Street Angels will be encouraged to enter bars and pubs (with the managers’ consent) to ‘mill about’ and talk to customers when the opportunity arises.
David Scourfield, Lead Chaplain, says: “The new pattern of working will bring the Street Angels team further into synch with the way daytime chaplains operate. If chaplaincy is about bringing ‘comfort, compassion and Christ’ to those we meet in the Town Centre, the new emphasis for Street Angels will be the same as that for chaplains i.e., focusing on ‘compassion’ by coming along side those on the High Street or in pubs and bars through conversation rather than the provision of ‘comfort’ normally associated with sorting out and looking after those who have drunk too much.”