‘Aggressive’ street preachers in Middlesbrough escape anti-yob order

Labour Central ward councillor Lewis Young posed a question at a full council meeting on Wednesday, January 14, about those who preach on the town centre’s streets, sharing unease at when this is done in an unfriendly manner.

Fellow Labour member and Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for neighbourhoods, Councillor Ian Blades explained that under the public space protection order (PSPO), that is in place in the TS1 postcode area, street preaching could not be prohibited. 

The PSPO was originally been introduced back in 2019, under a previous council administration and then-Mayor Andy Preston (independent). It was extended and expanded in 2022 before being extended for a further three years in November 2025. Behaviour covered by the order includes public urination, spitting, littering, verbal abuse, begging and harassment.

Cllr Young asked specifically about the retail area within TS1 and a resident’s “bad experience” on the high street, shared with Councillor Young before Christmas, when said resident was “accosted” by a street preacher in “quite a negative way”, describing the approach as “aggressive”. 

A poster outlining a Public Spaces Protection Order in Middlesbrough. No attribution required. Free for use for all LDRS partners.

Cllr Young added: “I know a lot of the PSPO is geared towards aggressive begging and that kind of thing, I’m just wondering what we can do to encourage better behaviour from chuggers, street preachers… so that people can go about their business in the town centre without that harassment.”

Cllr Blades said: “On chugging, street preaching is not prohibited under the PSPO, so we can’t sadly stop that. However, wardens can challenge those who approach a member of the public or passer-bys, to ask for subscriptions or donations – charitable or similar purposes without having a street permit or a licence. 

“We’ve asked the wardens to increase their activity with regards to chugging, so we expect to see this being challenged more often.”

Cllr Young clarified that he wasn’t asking for the banning of street preaching, saying people should be free to preach, but not to harass. Cllr Blades confirmed that wardens had been asked to concentrate on those chugging and harassing in the town centre.

Cllr Young also thought there was a “bit of misconception” about the PSPO. The order covers more than just the retail area of the town centre. He wondered what could be done to promote it across the residential part of TS1, highlighting streets such as Waterloo Road and Victoria Road, “just so that residents and businesses in that area are a bit more aware of it and what they can do to report into that process”.

Cllr Blades said the neighbourhood team was currently undertaking an audit of the PSPO signage in the TS1 area and that signs would be replaced if needed. He added that any specific requests for signage could be put forward. Cllr Blades also pointed out that the team are looking to purchase stickers to go on communal bins and remind people about flytipping, bin rummaging and the consequences of doing so.