A FURIOUS cafe manager whose business has been vandalised time and time again has spoken out after she says she was ‘snubbed’ by Redditch MP Rachel Maclean and Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.
Val from Three Cooks Cafe couldn’t hide her anger after seeing Mrs Maclean and Mr Campion in the town centre last week, speaking to businesses affected by anti-social behaviour.
“I saw them standing on the corner of Evesham Walk, outside our cafe,” she said.
“At no point did they think to come in and say anything to us, or catch-up and see how we were doing.
“This is despite knowing the history of vandals continuously smashing our windows.”
Val invited the pair into the cafe last year after it had been targeted for a third time in a matter of months.
“They told us they would increase police patrols in the town centre to help stop this happening to us.”
Since then the cafe has been targeted by vandals on at least two more occasions, in March and July this year, with youngsters caught on CCTV punching the cafe’s windows on both occasions.
In March Three Cooks owner Tim Cangaj contacted the Standard and gave us CCTV footage of the attack, which led to a man being caught and eventually paying back the damages.
“It annoys me because I feel like they were just in town for show,” said Val.
“It would have been nice for them to pop their heads in and show their support.”
When we asked Mrs Maclean’s team why she was unable to attend Three Cooks, we were told ‘there wasn’t enough time’.
Mrs Maclean and Mr Campion did speak to the owners of Heaphy’s Menswear and Deniz Turkish Barber, also on Evesham Walk.
“It was reassuring to hear from them that the situation has improved since John and I met with them last year,” said Mrs Maclean.
“They made it clear they had seen an increased police presence which has resulted in fewer anti-social behaviour incidents.”
Mr Campion said he wants to improve police visibility and deliver safer communities.
He said: “The Chief Constable has committed that every community will see and feel the benefit of this uplift, including Redditch, and I will hold him to account on behalf of the public to ensure this is delivered.”
