'Mindless' vandals smash in windows

SHOPS in a city centre regeneration area are counting the cost after their windows were smashed by vandals.

Blunts Fashion Shoes and Francesco Group Salon, both in Broad Street, Hanley, were targeted by vandals in an overnight attack yesterday.

Both retailers say because much of the street is now boarded up has left them vulnerable to criminal activity.

The shoe shop, which has been trading on Broad Street for the 34 years, is set to close after being served with a compulsory purchase order (CPO) to make way for the £55 million Central Business District (CBD).

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Shop worker Susan Ameson is one of four members of staff who are set to lose their jobs.

The 59-year-old, of Fenton, said: "Because we have shatterproof glass, the windows haven't been smashed in completely but it doesn't look great.

"We've still managed to open today but we're worried it could be dangerous if someone leaned against it.

"The last thing we needed was mindless vandals doing this when we are closing.

"If the owner decides it's not worth replacing seeing as the shop will be shutting soon, it means we'll just be left with a boarded up window."

The street currently has a number of boarded up buildings as Stoke-on-Trent City Council clears the land ahead of constructing the multi-million pound office development.

Several businesses have already been served with CPOs.

But Francescos is one of the buildings which will remain.

Salon owner Jacky Crosby, aged 47, of Trentham, said: "I was really angry when I saw the windows had been smashed when I arrived at the shop at 8.30am.

"It looked like something had been thrown at the window deliberately to damage it. The shop was only refurbished five months ago and we had spent thousands of pounds renovating it. Even though we're insured, it's going to cost us to replace this. It's annoying because we've spent a lot of money making our shop look nice and then this happens."

Salon manager Pam Armstrong, of Hartshill, said: "When we arrived to open up the shop yesterday morning, we saw the window had been done in. Then the ladies from Blunts came around and told us the same thing had happened to them. We were really shocked because nothing like this has happened before. We were here until 8.30pm on Thursday night so it must have happened late after we left."

Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We can confirm we have received a report of criminal damage to a window on Broad Street, Hanley."

Anyone with information should call Staffordshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 238 of March 8th.