Residents of St Mary's in Southampton have described living in fear of drug-related crime, with one local saying they keep doors locked and chains crossed, while authorities report progress under a new safety programme launched in May 2026.
St Mary's, a mostly residential neighbourhood east of the city centre, is best known for St Mary's Stadium, home of Southampton Football Club. But away from match days, parts of the area, like St Mary's Street, present a different scene, with shabby shopfronts, empty businesses and signs of poverty.
Residents Describe Fear and Crime
Melanie Smith, 53, who was born and bred in Southampton, told the Express about a neighbour's murder shortly after she moved in 12 years ago. She said: "It never used to be like this, 50-odd years ago when we used to live around here before. It used to be a lot different. You could feel safe, you could leave your doors unlocked."
She added: "But now, while we're in, we make sure our doors are locked, our chains are crossed. If we have locked the windows, just our curtains open, then we can see if any of the neighbours want to come over and see us."
Drug Activity and Anti-Social Behaviour
Hannah Thomas, 38, a shop assistant at Georges Price Crunch convenience store, said someone had driven into the shop shortly before Christmas in what she believed was a drink-driving incident. Further down the road, she said, groups of teenagers gather and drug activity is visible.
She said: "You get a lot of young kids hanging around there, and it's pretty obvious what they're doing. It's annoying when you see people fighting and things like that. It brings the community down a little bit. I don't really like it, because I'm bringing up my own child myself."
Another local, who has lived around St Mary's for roughly 40 years but wished to remain anonymous, claimed drug dealing and violence were commonplace. He described St Mary's in three words as "bent, crooked, and corrupt," adding that he agreed with the description of the city as one of the country's worst.
He claimed: "There was a time down here when taxis wouldn't come near, not even the police cars would come into the estate, the police cars were getting bricked. A lot of it's down to sort of drugs and stuff like that. So it's a lot of druggies constantly around here."
He also alleged school children in uniforms were selling cocaine and heroin, keeping the drugs in their mouths to swallow if police approached. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Mixed Views Among Locals
Brian Gorton, 82, who has lived in St Mary's for around five years, said he feels perfectly safe. Sitting outside a pub, the retired widower said: "I lost my wife in 2013. Wiped me out for a few years, but I've recovered. And now the most important thing to me is getting out and meeting people."
He added: "I come home sometimes at two, half past two in the morning, and I've never had any problem. I'm not looking for it, so probably it's going on, but honestly, I don't see it."
Council and Police Respond
Southampton City Council and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary formally launched the Building a Brighter Future programme in St Mary's in May 2026. Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Leisure, told the Express the programme had already brought many positive changes.
Focusing on "long-term change rather than short-term fixes," the programme combines enforcement with community engagement, environmental improvements and support for vulnerable people. Police officers have carried out 181 searches where there was a cause for concern, and there have been no reports of serious violence since the programme launched. CCTV coverage has been increased in identified hotspots and lighting improvements made in certain areas.
Chief Inspector Charlie Ilderton, deputy district commander for Southampton, said: "Our officers regularly speak with residents and business owners throughout St Mary's, who are telling us they are seeing positive changes as a result of the Building a Brighter Future project."
He added: "Since the project began, we have made 80 arrests, disrupted criminal activity linked to drug supply, seized hundreds of thousands of pounds of drugs, and removed knives and other weapons from the streets. We are also supporting vulnerable residents, safeguarding young people at risk of exploitation, and helping to direct people to the services they need to improve their wellbeing and life chances."
