2,000 call for Bakewell Police Station to be saved

A petition has been started to save Bakewell Police Station which is under threat of closure, pictured is Sandra Wetton

Former PC Sandra Wetton, of Bakewell, handed in a petition to Derbyshire’s police and crime commissioner Alan Charles at a neighbourhood watch meeting on Thursday after hearing rumours that the police station, in Granby Road, could close within the next month and all its staff transferred to Matlock Police Station.

“I’ve got just under 2,000 signatures on the petition,” she said.

Sandra explained that Bakewell is the last remaining police station in the Peak District National Park, and if it goes there will be no cover in the area when police officers change shifts.

“This area is not going to have cover for the majority of the time and they can’t deny that really,” she added.

“The officers will come on at Matlock but they have got paperwork to do and emails to check.

“Word will soon get around when that police station isn’t there any more and Bakewell will become a shoplifters paradise.”

She said that Bakewell’s successful Shop Watch scheme, in which police liaise with shops to keep on top of crime in the town centre, will suffer as it needs someone to monitor it.

Sandra added that there had been no public consultation on the matter, despite her asking for one.

The Mercury is currently awaiting a response from Alan Charles.