The owner of a nightclub sandwiched between two parks has backed calls for CCTV cameras as “brilliant”.

Rich Gilbert has been at the helm of Café Parfait for 17 years and is supporting our Reclaim our Parks campaign.

He has previously demanded action, and even put up a banner warning people to avoid the parks at night but said he was asked to take it down by Southampton City Council.

Rich would feel reassured if there was at least one camera in Watts Park and East Park, which surround the club.

He said: “I worry about the safety of my customers, and I want to keep people safe.

“Having a camera in the parks is a brilliant idea and for years I have been saying they are unsafe.

“People should not walk through them at night - anybody could be hiding in a bush.

“At the end of the night me and my staff do our best to make sure people do not leave the club alone, especially vulnerable women.

“But men have been subject to sexual assault and rape too and we try and help them all.”

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Ten years ago Rich put a banner on the fence of Watts Park warning people against potential dangers.

But this angered the council, and he said the authority told him not to “speak about the parks in a bad way” and to remove the banner.

Rich said: “I would be over the moon if CCTV cameras were installed as I feel people would be safer.

“We are between two parks, so we try and make sure people never leave and go in them alone.

“And we work with the police if a crime is committed near us as we have our own CCTV at the front of the club.

“Police officers often come to us if something has happened to someone in a park.

In response to the concerns raised, Cllr Christie Lambert, cabinet member for safer cities, said the council is “always looking for ways to enhance the safety of our public spaces”.

This includes reviewing lighting in the park and working with police, the two universities, GO! Southampton and Street pastors.

Reclaim our Parks is calling for CCTV to be installed in all parks.