Armed Police Stand Off Shuts Southwell Town Centre

On the morning of January 16, 2026, the usually tranquil town of Southwell, Nottinghamshire, was jolted by an incident that would see its heart cordoned off for hours and its residents left in a state of anxious uncertainty. The calm of Queen Street was shattered just before midday when Nottinghamshire Police received a report of concern for a person’s safety at 11:52am. What followed was a dramatic response that brought armed officers, firefighters, negotiators, and multiple ambulances to the scene, transforming the town centre into the focus of a tense stand-off.

According to Nottinghamshire Police, this was an “isolated incident with no wider risk to the public,” a message repeated throughout the day as speculation swirled and the cordon widened. Yet, for many locals, the scale and nature of the emergency response was anything but ordinary. Queen Street and its surrounding junctions—including The Ropewalk, King Street, Westgate, and Church Street—were cordoned off, with Sheppards Row also closed. At least ten emergency vehicles lined the streets, their presence underscoring the seriousness of the unfolding situation. Businesses inside the cordon were evacuated, including Southwell Library on King Street, which announced its temporary closure via social media.

Eyewitnesses and business owners close to the heart of the incident described a scene that felt more like something out of a crime drama than everyday life in Southwell. Emma Thompson, who works near the cordon, told the BBC, “We’ve seen armed police with what looks like a riot shield, the incident is in the middle of Queen Street... it’s been going on for quite some time.” As events developed, shopkeepers and residents were told by police to stay inside or, in some cases, to leave their premises quickly. “The armed police came through and they told me to stay in the shop and lock the door. About ten minutes later, they then said ‘you need to get your things and leave quickly’,” recalled Andrew Martin, who runs The Piano Studio music shop, to Nottinghamshire Live. He added, “People have told me they saw the man leaning out the roof waving a weapon. I saw him shouting that he wouldn’t drop the weapon until the armed police left.”

It quickly emerged that the centre of the commotion was a man on the roof of a property, reportedly refusing to come down and, according to several witnesses, brandishing a weapon. While police would not confirm the presence of a firearm, the accounts from those nearby painted a tense and unsettling picture. Sarah Longden, who runs Longden’s Hair Studio, said, “We were all at work as usual and the next minute, the road was cordoned off—armed police knocked on our door and told us to lock the door. I told them I wasn’t coming out unless I knew it was safe. When I looked up he was hanging out the window. It looked as though he had taken all the tiles off the roof and sat up there. Apparently, he was on one of the roofs with a gun this morning. I’ve had so many people from the area call me to say that.”

As the hours wore on, the emergency services maintained a heavy presence. Firefighters from Newark and Highfields set up floodlights as the winter sun faded, preparing for the possibility of a long operation. Police drones buzzed overhead, and officers moved between the cordoned areas, occasionally escorting residents and business owners to safety. The cordon, stretching from King Street to The Ropewalk, effectively sealed off a significant portion of Southwell’s town centre. Despite the disruption, traffic in the area remained relatively calm, perhaps a testament to the community’s patience and the police’s efforts to keep the public informed.

The incident’s ripple effects were felt beyond the immediate vicinity. Four local schools—Lowe’s Wong Infant School, Lowe’s Wong Junior School, The Minster School, and Holy Trinity Church of England Infant School—were placed into lockdown for about an hour around lunchtime as a precaution. Matthew Parris, chief executive of the Minster Trust, which oversees all four schools, described the process: “A member of public called in to say about the incident in the town centre around the corner. We brought the children in at all four schools at that point—that was as a precautionary measure whilst I contacted police to find out what was going on. Having had reassurances from police on the nature of the incident, we were able to have the children return to their lessons within the space of an hour. Our first priority is the safety and wellbeing of children—as soon as we knew it was perfectly safe, they returned to their lessons and the parents were made aware.”

For residents, the day was marked by confusion and concern. Carole, a lifelong Southwell resident, told Nottinghamshire Live, “It concerns me, I want my kids to roam around. I want tourists here and for people to visit Southwell—not to have these threats. I just thought it was a crash. In a place like Southwell there isn’t crime like this, I’ve been here all my life.” Jenny, a newcomer to the area, said, “I just find it really intimidating. I don’t actually know what’s going on as we were in West Bridgford—I had various phone calls from people asking if I’m alright as they know we lived there. I was able to reassure them that we were but we weren’t able to go home yet. I was told to go find somewhere else if possible. I don’t know about tonight—I’m very concerned. We only moved in four weeks ago so this is not very reassuring. I’m even concerned about going back now. It makes me wonder about how safe my home will be at night. At least no one has been hurt and that’s the most important thing.”

Throughout the ordeal, Nottinghamshire Police maintained their stance that the incident was isolated, repeatedly assuring the public there was “no wider risk.” As the evening set in, the situation began to deescalate. By around 7:00pm, the cordons were lifted, emergency vehicles departed, and a collective sigh of relief was felt as residents and business owners returned to their properties. The town centre, however, remained eerily quiet, with pubs and restaurants closed earlier than usual and shops left with unusually full shelves.

In the aftermath, Southwell’s community has been left to reflect on a day that saw its peace disturbed but ultimately restored without reported injuries. The incident highlighted the readiness of local emergency services and the resilience of a community unaccustomed to drama of this scale. For those in need of support, local and national helplines such as Samaritans, Childline, and Mind were highlighted by the media, offering help to anyone affected by the day’s events.

Southwell’s ordeal serves as a reminder that even the quietest of towns can be shaken—but also that they can come together, support one another, and return to normalcy, however shaken they may feel in the moment.