Swindon nights out rated by patrolling police officers

Speaking to the Adver while on duty last weekend, the officers were divided on whether Swindon was a good place to party - with some surprised that big groups were coming in growing numbers.

PC McDowell and PC Barrington were on the night-time patrol together.

“Personally it wouldn’t be my first choice," said PC McDowell.

“Not because there is anything bad about it. I just think there are better clubs elsewhere.

“I cannot imagine many people think, ‘oh where should we go for the weekend, off to Swindon?’

“Particularly Friday night it can be very, very dead. When you want to go out you want it to be busy.

“If you are sat in a room and there’s gaps between you and the three other groups, it’s not the best.”

For him the best night out in Swindon would be cocktails at Mackenzie’s or Longs Bar, but he reminisced about good times when Tree was regularly open.

He said: “Swindon used to be very club-heavy before my time. Where Sir Daniel Arms is there used to be a strip, like you would find abroad.

“Hopefully with the introduction of a couple of new places it might pick up”

Despite this forecast, PC Shears said that the night-time economy officers had noticed an increase in big groups coming in from outside of Swindon.

When asked why these groups were coming in, he said: “I have heard that Swindon is a good night out, in truth.

“We do get some feedback in terms of why people are coming into Swindon but I do not know if they come back”, he laughed. 

“That’s the test but I guess we will never find out.”

PC Vincent meanwhile has noticed a shift post-pandemic, saying: “I'd say pre-Covid it was a lot busier in general at night time. 

"I think prices have had a big impact on young people being able to afford going out, as drink prices have gone up considerably.

"On an average night it is £10 to get into a club and a lot of people do not want to pay it - so they tend to stay at home or they come out to the pub and then go home.”