The North Wales police commissioner plans to visit a high street restaurant being dogged by anti-social yobs. North Wales Live yesterday reported on the misery faced by Wood Fired Shack in Bangor.
Owners Paul Cassar and Avia Amos have spent four years battling issues since opening at the former Saks site in the centre of the city in 2019. This saw them post an emotional message this week where they detailed the problems they face from yobs congregating on benches near the restaurant and Bangor's historic cathedral.
This has included abuse, theft, vandalism and even stalking. In recent months there has been a dog attack, drunk individuals attempting to urinate in to the restaurant and a knife incident.
Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, has now contacted the couple. He said he was very concerned about what they were experiencing and that he would come to the restaurant with local officers to see what they can do to help improve the situation.
READ MORE: Restaurant on Wales's longest high street details the anti-social hell facing staff and customers
He told North Wales Live: “I was concerned to read the post by the team at Wood Fired Shack regarding the anti-social behaviour they have been experiencing. Not only is it personally intimidating for people to experience this kind of behaviour, it is also detrimental to the image of the city as the safe and welcoming place to live and visit that we want it to be.
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"For business owners working hard to recover from the pandemic and cost of living crisis, the effect of this kind of anti-social behaviour can be even harder. After reading this post, I have contacted the owners of Wood Fired Shack to discuss the issues they have raised and have offered to visit them alongside members of the local policing team to see if a resolution can be found.
"Dealing with this kind of anti-social behaviour can involve many different partners working together, from police to health, social and other support services, but I am determined to do all that I can to reduce these instances of anti-social behaviour so that the residents, visitors and business owners of Bangor can enjoy their city centre in a safe and secure way.”
A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: “Anti-social behaviour including threatening behaviour, vandalism and anti-social substance misuse has no place within the county and we reassure people that Bangor continues to be a great place to live, study and socialise. As a Council, we are working closely with our partners from North Wales Police on this matter.
“To tackle this issue in Bangor a PSPO (Public Space Protection Order) was introduced in 2019 and last year the Order was extended until 2025. This Order imposes conditions prohibiting the consumption of alcohol and behaviour that is likely to cause harassment, alarm, nuisance or distress. If a person refuses to stop drinking alcohol or leave the area when required to do so by a Police Officer or PSCO, then a breach of the Order and a criminal offence has taken place.
"We would urge anyone who has been the victim of a crime to contact the Police on 101 (or 999 in the case of an emergency).”
In the post this week, the restaurant team said: "During these last four years we have suffered abuse, theft, vandalism and even stalking. We have been threatened, assaulted, spat at and followed. During these few months alone there has been a dog attack, drunk individuals attempting to urinate in to our restaurant and a knife incident.
"There is constant drinking, drug taking, shouting and fighting going on daily, day and night. We have a responsibility to keep our team and customers safe and we are unable to do so under these conditions. We don't feel safe coming to work or allowing staff members to walk alone to their cars.
"The impact this is having on all our mental health is increasingly draining as we are constantly having to deal with these issues and having to constantly call for help instead of doing what we are all meant to be doing- running a restaurant. We have had so many meetings and discussions and so much has been suggested but the reality remains- nothing is changing. We are still constantly dealing with these issues on a daily basis and it's not fair."
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