Old Market Square has been identified as the part of Nottingham city centre where people feel most unsafe, while the Victoria Centre received the strongest ratings for safety.
The findings were recorded in a survey carried out as part of Operation Reclaim, a partnership set up to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the city centre.
Just over 55 per cent of respondents said they felt unsafe in central Nottingham and would be unlikely to recommend the city centre to friends and family.
Old Market Square was the location most frequently associated with feeling unsafe, followed by Clumber Street, Sneinton Market and the area surrounding the former Broad Marsh shopping centre.
The findings come as plans are developed to transform Old Market Square into a greener “central park”, supported by an initial £4 million of funding.
Businesses and members of the public identified rough sleeping, begging, youth-related anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, knife crime and illegal e-bikes as their main concerns.
More than 80 per cent of residents said youth anti-social behaviour was the biggest problem affecting the city centre. Rough sleeping was also raised as a significant concern.
Nottinghamshire Police said 35 young people considered responsible for some of the most persistent anti-social behaviour are now on a city-centre watchlist.
Officers have visited their parents or guardians, and police say reported anti-social behaviour involving the group has since fallen by 42 per cent.
Restrictions on face coverings, including balaclavas, are also expected to be introduced in the city centre before the end of 2026, subject to approval by Nottingham City Council.
The proposed measure would allow action to be taken against people using face coverings to conceal their identities while causing trouble. Read more about the proposed Nottingham city centre balaclava restrictions.
In contrast to the areas causing the greatest concern, the Victoria Centre emerged as the strongest example of a place where respondents felt safe.
People linked this sense of safety to visible security staff, CCTV, cleanliness and good lighting.
Hockley also received comparatively positive responses. Although some people raised concerns about safety during the evening, the area was regularly described as more welcoming, inclusive and community-focused than other parts of the city centre.
Its independent businesses, cultural activity and distinctive identity were cited as contributing to a stronger sense of community ownership.
Respondents said “people look out for each other” in Hockley and that it “feels more inclusive and less threatening”.
The findings could now influence attempts to give different parts of the city centre stronger identities, using Hockley as a model. Partners believe that improving lighting, street layouts, CCTV coverage, cleanliness and activity could help discourage crime while making areas feel more welcoming.
Those taking part in the survey called for more visible policing, targeted enforcement, support for vulnerable people, environmental improvements and closer working between the organisations responsible for the city centre.
Operation Reclaim was launched in May and involves Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire’s Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, homelessness charity Framework and city-centre business organisation It’s in Nottingham.
More than 1,700 residents and 160 businesses responded to the survey.
Since the operation began, officers have made 821 arrests and secured 16 Criminal Behaviour Orders, some of which prevent offenders from entering the city centre.
