A restaurant on Wales's longest high street has detailed the anti-social hell facing staff and customers. Paul Cassar and Avia Amos opened Wood Fired Shack on the former Saks site in the centre of Bangor in 2019.
The couple's restaurant has been a smash with locals and visitors who love their food and service. Their location should be an added bonus with its outdoor area overlooking the city's historic cathedral.
But the peace is being ruined by drug dealing, drunks and anti-social yobs. It is making it difficult for them to use the outdoor area and there are concerns about staff safety.
Recent incidents include drunks urinating into the restaurant, a dog attack and an incident with a knife. This week they took to Facebook to voice their frustrations after four years trying to tackle the problem.
Their post attracted dozens of comments - with other voicing their own concerns about the anti-social behaviour in that area. The nearby Castle pub replied: "We’ve had nothing but trouble too." Others talk about open drug dealing in the area.
The team at Wood Fired Shack said: "Looking at this photo you could be forgiven for thinking 'Oh what a lovely spot to enjoy some al fresco dining' but you don't see in this photo, is what goes on just by the benches. As many of you know all too well since taking on the building at 205 High Street we have struggled with constant anti-social behaviour issues right outside our restaurant and while we have touched on this a few times , we have not shared in great detail how much of a real, real issue it is for a few reasons.
READ MORE: 'Unfair snobbery' over North Wales seaside town that's finally found place back in the sun
"One of the main reasons of course is we don't want to put people off visiting what's an already unappealing end of the high street due to the amount of empty shops and also we are constantly hoping this issue will be resolved by the relevant parties.
"We want to stress that this topic has been a constant source of discussion for four years now and many people involved are doing what they can, but it's a complex issue which needs tackling by more than just one authority. Trust us when we say we have gone down every possible route we can to try and tackle this. The police do what they can with the resources they have and we are grateful for this, but it's just not enough."
They went on to document some of the issues they'd faced.
They 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.
"This has to change because not only is this massively impacting us but during the most recent open day at the university we were asked by almost every table 'Is it always like this?' Bangor was described as feeling rough and grotty and not a place parents want to send their kids. And this observation sadly is entirely correct.
"The amount of business we lose because of this every summer is astounding. During what should be the busy season this is key because no one wants to sit outside. This weekend alone people wanted to sit out and enjoy this glorious weather and as usual were unable to because of this and asked to move inside which if we have free seats at the time is fine, but if not we lose out. People are asking to only order take out or sit downstairs so they don't have to be around this type of thing. People are missing out on sitting outside looking at the beautiful cathedral and being able to enjoy being outdoors all because of this permanent issue."
They concluded: "We would massively appreciate it if you could share this post and share any experience you have had personally regarding this issue in the hope that finally something gets done because we have done all WE can to try and resolve this and we are tired of it."
Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
Find out what's going on in your neck of the woods
