A popular Bangor business has opened up about their constant struggle with antisocial behaviour on the High Street and how it’s affecting their business.
The Wood Fired Shack, located on the high street in Bangor, Gwynedd, issued an emotional plea on their Facebook page, talking about the struggles they are facing. Constant drinking, drug taking, shouting and fighting near to the business is occurring on daily basis, while staff have been threatened, assaulted, followed and spat at.
The emotional Facebook post read: “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.
“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 4 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.”
“During these last 4 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 a 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 basis, 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 had 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 is 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.”
“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.”
Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, said: “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.
“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.”
