ISLANDERS are being polled to see how safe they feel when going out in the evening. Island Opinion has launched an online survey of people’s perceptions of the risk in Town and on the Bridge.

The coordinators anticipated that the smoking ban would lead to more people going out to pubs, clubs and restaurants.

And with drink-related disturbances an ongoing problem, they wanted to gauge how concerned people were over crime.

Island Opinion offers the results of its survey to the agencies involved so they can use the information when establishing policy.

The poll ask respondents whether they fear being a victim of crime on nights out in Town and on the Bridge and whether they think it has increased in the last five years.

Club 54 owner Martin Rogan thought incidents of trouble were currently the lowest he could remember.

‘We have had less grief at the door and inside the club during the last 12 months than we have ever had.’

And he said that as some people drank for hours before going on to the clubs, the nightspots were likely to see any drunken disturbances that did occur.

‘I can think back 15 years and there were more problems than today,’ he said.

‘If there is any trouble in Town, it is isolated incidents and it could just as easily happen in Torteval or St Sampson’s.’

Anyone registering with the site at www.islandopinion.com can take part in the survey which will be open until Friday.

It also asks respondents what could be done to counteract crime, such as more policing, CCTV or tougher penalties.

Respondents are asked to consider whether they think crime is driven primarily by hardship, drink, drugs or simply boredom and which social groups are the worst offenders.