EXCLUSIVE By IAN LYNCH. Jo O’Meara, of pop band S Club 7, says she thinks Romford is too dangerous to visit at night. POP star Jo O’Meara from S Club 7 has revealed that she no longer visits Romford’s pubs and clubs at night because she believes it is too dangerous.
Jo, 21, still lives in Collier Row, where she was brought up before joning the chart-topping band. But in an exclusive interview with the Recorder, Jo said the amount of trouble in Romford at night means she no longer goes out in the town, and would rather spend a night in with fiance Lee.
“I come back to Collier Row every day but I won’t go out in Romford any more because I find it really, really dangerous,” she said.
“There are so many pubs and clubs in South Street now, it is too much. I am constantly hearing about people getting stabbed and fights going off which is a real shame. I used to love going out in Romford but you wouldn’t catch me there now.”
But Havering Police Commander Roy Colbourne denied the town was dangerous and said new initiatives continued to make the environment safe.
And Cllr Barbara Reith, lead member for crime and safety on Havering Council, said: “Havering is one of the safest boroughs in London. There is a problem with perception and this is a problem we need to address.” The town centre can now accommodate more than 12,000 late-night revellers.
But despite her fears, Jo said she wants to stay living in Havering for the rest of her life. “I was born in Rush Green and have spent most of my life in Collier Row so I don’t think I’ll ever move away,” she said.
“All my family are here so I don’t want to go anywhere. Collier Row will always be home to me. I don’t have that many friends anymore but the ones I’ve got have been really good to me and haven’t changed a bit.”
The band have recently been in the news for the wrong reasons when the three male members of the band – Bradley, Jon and Paul – were cautioned by police after being caught in Covent Garden smoking a cannabis joint. Although Jo admitted the boys had been stupid, she said the matter was now dead and buried.
“It is not the sort of thing we are proud of. We were very shocked, but they apologised and as far as we are concerned, it is now forgotten about,” she said.
Cllr Barbara Reith told the Recorder: “As a local resident myself, I understand the concerns that some people have about visiting Romford Town Centre at night. I do, however, think it is important to put this in context.
“Havering is one of the safest boroughs in London – we have over 11,000 young people in Romford on a Friday or Saturday night who consider it safe to come here.
“I am not saying that Romford is free from crime, but in comparison to some other towns, we are relatively safe.
“Additionally we are working with the police and pubs and clubs, and this successful partnership has seen initiatives such as radio links, the introduction of shatter type glasses, increased community policing and the launch of the Chill Out Zone.
“Together with over 16 CCTV cameras covering the town centre, we can identify problems and have enough support to deal with them.
“Until the situation in Romford is seen in context and reported as such, there will always be a problem with the perception of crime here. It needs to be put into perspective – people are safe to come into Romford and enjoy the wide range of facilities that we have to offer.”
Commander Colbourne said: “The profile of Romford town centre during late evenings and early mornings has changed significantly over the past five years.
“Police, the local authority and the entertainment industry have worked hard to maximise the safety and attractiveness of the area.
“It is fair to say any area where up to 11,500 young people and alcohol are to be found will have some problems, but I believe the efforts of those involved in initiatives and planning continue to make the environment safe.
“The vast majority who come into the town at night do not experience any problems.”