Did 'drag queen' fight night footage kick city where it hurts?

IT was not the image of Swansea that tourism chiefs would have wanted beamed around the world, but two Swansea cage fighters became global stars and the story captured the interest of newspapers and programmes from as far away as America and Australia.

Many were amused by the CCTV footage, which also included a brief cameo by a late-night reveller dressed as Spiderman, but it has painted a poor picture of the City by the Sea.

Watch the cross-dressing CCTV incident below

Over the next week, the Evening Post will be speaking to those on the late-night frontline in Swansea to find out what really goes on.

Few are more exposed to late night party animals than taxi drivers who often have to single-handedly deal with drunk and disorderly passengers.

Swansea taxi driver Ian Palmer often works the late shifts on a weekend.

He has a wealth of experience and takes his job very seriously, but he knows his limits.

"The trouble is, once they are in my taxi, they are my responsibility," the 48-year-old said. "I've got a lot of experience, so I know now if I see a big group of drunk lads, I won't take them — we can refuse passengers and I know what to look for.

"I am wary, but dealing with them is part of the job."

When questioned whether Swansea's notorious reputation as a rough place to go at night he said "yes and no". Despite Swansea's rocky reputation, Mr Palmer said he hadn't been confronted by any truly tricky, drunken customers in the past nine years — perhaps longer.

Mr Palmer was also full of praise for Swansea's taxi rank marshals who have been manning late-night taxi queues since 2005.

Last year, following the opening of super club, Oceana, on The Kingsway, Swansea Business Improvement District funded two more marshals to keep revellers in line.

"They really are on the frontline," Mr Palmer added. "They deal with drunk people face-to-face. They have made a big difference to us taxi drivers.

"It's in the taxi queues the trouble can really start, especially when people try to push in."

Mr Palmer also said that some nights were worse to work than others.

"The worst nights of the year, I think, are the Sunday bank holiday — they are particularly bad.

Watch our interview with the cage fighters below

"On Black Friday, most people are fairly respectful — nine times out of 10 they're fine — it's just very busy.

"Of course, most people are fine. It's just a small group that gives a bad impression.

"People do ask me a lot, 'how can you do it?'.

"Nobody likes to work nights, but I enjoy my job and it's never been so bad that I've wanted to quit."

In Norwich, the police are trialling a new taxi scheme which would see drunken party-goers getting free lifts home in a bid to reduce crime.

A large number of anti-social incidents in the town happen after pub closing times, so the scheme would offer free pre-paid taxis on Fridays and Saturdays to take people short distances home.

However, Mr Palmer, who has been a cab driver for the past 20 years, said he doubts about the plans.

"I don't think it's a good idea," he added. "People would take advantage of the scheme, and who's to say we would actually get our money."

TOMORROW: A first time view of Swansea's night life.

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