CITY centre policing in Southampton is again under the microscope and on the verge of a shake-up – not long after the city’s state-of-theart new police station was unveiled.

There is no doubt that those new swish headquarters in Southern Road are impressive.

Even at a time of major cost cutting within the force the £35 million complex was much needed. Its facilities are so hi-tech, first class and are welcomed by all who serve there.

They are in stark contrast to those at the crumbling and out-of-date Civic Centre base of old.

It also acts as a spectacular welcome to those travelling into the city from the west.

But what it has also done has taken the reassuring and easily accessible presence of an open all hours police presence out of the heart of the city.

Finally three years after it was opened police bosses are to act on what many warned at the time the new offices were being planned – the site is just too difficult for the public to get to.

Now in a twist of irony Police Commissioner Simon Hayes wants to spend £200,000 refurbishing a former cafe in the city centre to base officers where the public can drop in.

Where exactly will this new office be? Yes, that’s right, in the Civic Centre – from where they came just 36 months ago.

Talk about going back to the future.