Political opinion with Cllr James Tidy: Crawley residents aren't talking the town down, they're speaking out

Crawley’s town centre is in undeniable decline, yet residents who dare to raise this concern are routinely criticised and accused of "talking the town down." This defensive reaction does nothing but avoid a harsh reality that must be addressed.

The town Crawley used to be has vanished. Major high street staples have abandoned the area, leaving behind a town increasingly dominated by vape shops and Turkish barbers.

While I accept that economic struggles affect high streets nationwide, Crawley is facing particular difficulty, due to the fact that people simply don’t feel safe in the town and the contrast with our neighbours is stark.

 According to data from CrimeRate, Crawley has a crime rate of 90 crimes per 1,000 people, making it one of the most dangerous major towns in West Sussex. Conversely, neighbouring Horsham maintains a significantly lower crime rate of 64 crimes per 1,000 people.

Horsham has managed to sustain a thriving, diverse retail environment where people actually feel safe. It is time to stop deflecting blame onto concerned residents and start confronting Crawley’s issues. Only by accepting the true scale of these challenges can we begin to fix the problem and return Crawley to a town where families feel safe and local businesses can thrive.