On the Beat: “I want to make a direct appeal to children, young people and their parents”

by Inspector Lee Kerslake

“This month, I want to make a direct appeal to children, young people and their parents.

Recent social media posts have highlighted multiple instances of 'Urban Exploring' happening in dangerous local buildings.

Over the summer, we have seen a marked increase in people entering derelict and abandoned properties, most notably the Grand Atlantic Hotel. As a result, we have written to the parents of more than 70 local young people who have been found on these sites.

I can see why this appeals to young people. On the face of it, it looks like a fun and interesting activity.

Exploring abandoned buildings carries a sense of danger which, for some, is part of the attraction. There's also the thrill of doing something you know you probably shouldn't be doing. Simply telling young people it's wrong or that they could get into trouble isn't always the message that changes minds. It'sexciting. It challenges authority. I get it. 

However, there is a very real reason we are so concerned about buildings such as the Grand Atlantic Hotel, and that reason is safety.

The hotel has confirmed asbestos throughout the building. Asbestos presents a serious risk to health if it is disturbed and fibres are released into the air.

Those fibres can then be breathed in, causing potentially severe and life-changing health problems.

We know that some of the young people entering the building have been breaking through partition walls and damaging structures that may contain asbestos.

That has significantly increased the risk inside the building. Entering now could expose someone to serious long-term health consequences,which they may not realise at the time.

The risk is so significant that police officers cannot enter the building without specialist personal protective equipment. Despite this, we continue to see young people determined to explore the site.

There are other serious consequences too.

Those entering the property have caused distress to local residents, many of whom are elderly or vulnerable. Understandably, people have felt frightened and intimidated by the activity taking place around their homes.

The repeated damage and attempts to gain entry have also created substantial costs for the landowner, who is working hard to secure the building and grounds. It has also placed considerable demand on the police, council, fire service and other agencies who continue to respond to incidents there.

But if we're honest, we've found that these arguments alone don't seem to be creating the behaviour change that's needed.

So if you know a young person who is doing this, if you're a parent or responsible for a child who may be involved, or indeed if you're one of those young people reading this, our message is simple:

This is a very dangerous building.

The greatest dangers are not necessarily the ones you can see. The broken glass, sharp metal, sheer drops and unstable structures are obvious risks, but they are not the most concerning ones. You might be confident in your ability to climb, explore and avoid visible hazards. What you cannot avoid are the dangers you cannot see

No amount of skill, confidence or experience can protect you from exposure to airborne asbestos fibres.

That is why we are working with North Somerset Council to explore options that would make entering the building a criminal offence, while the landowner continues to do everything possible to prevent access. These measures are not about stopping young people from having fun. They are about preventing someone from suffering serious harm.

We want everyone to stay safe, make good decisions and enjoy their free time without putting themselves at unnecessary risk.”