Lancaster – Panic gripped Lancaster city centre this morning after a suspicious package was found at a popular shopping spot. St Nicholas Arcades, affectionately known as St Nics, was swiftly evacuated as police sealed off surrounding streets. A bomb disposal unit was called to the scene.
Lancashire Police confirmed they received reports early Monday. A spokesperson said at 10:45am that the operation was ongoing. In a statement issued to local media, they said: “We currently have a cordon in place in Lancaster Gate, Lancaster.
This was following a report we received at 6.32am that a suspicious package had been found near to a property. Colleagues from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team are on their way and we ask people to avoid the area as a precaution. We will provide an update when we can.”
Officers urged the public to steer clear while investigations continued. Several streets in the city centre were cordoned off, with Great John Street closed between St Leonard’s Gate and Brock Street, according to LancsLive.
St Nicholas Arcades is a key part of Lancaster’s retail landscape. According to Visit Lancashire, it stands “at the heart of Lancaster’s shopping experience” and typically attracts around four million visitors annually.
Today’s evacuation left many shoppers and staff shaken but cooperative as they cleared the premises promptly on police instruction. While there is no official word yet on the nature of the package, police remain on high alert.
The presence of bomb disposal experts underlines the seriousness with which authorities are treating the incident. Updates are expected later today as the situation unfolds.
