In Plymouth, UK, proposals to curb international students’ use of local shops after a reported rise in shoplifting have been thrown out by police and business leaders, who say they were unfairly singled out. Local language schools have complained that they weren't consulted in original local council plans. In Plymouth, UK, proposals to curb international students’ use of local shops after a rise in shoplifting have been thrown out by police and business leaders.
In a report to the council, an association representing traders in the city and community police support officers blamed students at the city’s language schools for thefts “incurring large financial losses” to local businesses.
They suggested that traders should place signs on shops “limiting the number of students allowed in at any one time”. They also proposed giving language schools posters explaining to students how the plan would work.
However, police and business leaders in the city publicly derided the suggestions this week, saying they were “wholly inappropriate” and should not have been included in the report. The council has subsequently released a statement assuring that none of the proposals will be implemented.
Alongside the University of Plymouth and Plymouth City College, the city has a few permanent language schools which together cater to around 5,000 overseas students each year.
Gill Taylor, General Manager of the private Mayflower College of English, told The PIE she was happy about the news but still angered. “We’re in an industry where international students bring a lot of money into the local economy and it is a shame that we weren’t consulted about this.
"It is a shame that we weren’t consulted about this”
“I think the fact there was an immediate apology has helped, but I think it caused a bit of storm and the publicity won’t have been helpful.
“With tourism to any city there are always minor problems, but these are far outweighed by the benefits tourists bring,” she added. “I’m not sure how much of a problem it actually was anyway. In a way it was just another media story that has caused a negative perception about international students.”
Suzanne Sparrow, who owns the Suzanne Sparrow Language School, concurred. “'I disagree with shoplifting but it shouldn’t just be foreign students who are blamed. It is very sad,” she told
the Daily Mail yesterday.
The report had been presented as part of Operation Drake, a police project actually designed to ensure international student safety in Plymouth. In it, city centre manager Clint Jones wrote: “Over the past five years we have seen in Plymouth, especially the city centre area, a large influx of foreign students. Feedback received from retailers has been that they have experienced an increase in shoplifting and anti-social behaviour from foreign students, incurring large financial losses.”
Reacting to the claims – which many locals have labelled racist in online postings – a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said that the issue “has been taken completely out of context and risks damaging the very real and valuable work we do with language schools”.
In Plymouth, UK, proposals to curb international students’ use of local shops after a rise in shoplifting have been thrown out by police and business leaders.
In a report to the council, an association representing traders in the city and community police support officers blamed students at the city’s language schools for thefts “incurring large financial losses” to local businesses.
They suggested that traders should place signs on shops “limiting the number of students allowed in at any one time”. They also proposed giving language schools posters explaining to students how the plan would work.
However, police and business leaders in the city publicly derided the suggestions this week, saying they were “wholly inappropriate” and should not have been included in the report. The council has subsequently released a statement assuring that none of the proposals will be implemented.
Alongside the University of Plymouth and Plymouth City College, the city has a few permanent language schools which together cater to around 5,000 overseas students each year.
Gill Taylor, General Manager of the private Mayflower College of English, told The PIE she was happy about the news but still angered. “We’re in an industry where international students bring a lot of money into the local economy and it is a shame that we weren’t consulted about this.
“It is a shame that we weren’t consulted about this”
“I think the fact there was an immediate apology has helped, but I think it caused a bit of storm and the publicity won’t have been helpful.
“With tourism to any city there are always minor problems, but these are far outweighed by the benefits tourists bring,” she added. “I’m not sure how much of a problem it actually was anyway. In a way it was just another media story that has caused a negative perception about international students.”
Suzanne Sparrow, who owns the Suzanne Sparrow Language School, concurred. “’I disagree with shoplifting but it shouldn’t just be foreign students who are blamed. It is very sad,” she told the Daily Mail yesterday.
The report had been presented as part of Operation Drake, a police project actually designed to ensure international student safety in Plymouth. In it, city centre manager Clint Jones wrote: “Over the past five years we have seen in Plymouth, especially the city centre area, a large influx of foreign students. Feedback received from retailers has been that they have experienced an increase in shoplifting and anti-social behaviour from foreign students, incurring large financial losses.”
Reacting to the claims – which many locals have labelled racist in online postings – a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said that the issue “has been taken completely out of context and risks damaging the very real and valuable work we do with language schools”.
