OWNERS of a town centre fish and chip shop are demanding action after claiming their premises are being battered by lorries.

Pani Nicolaou, aged 32, and his wife, 30-year-old Chrissie, who run Cod's Corner, on High Street, Uttoxeter, have had to pay out around £2,000 to repair damage caused by lorries that have struck their premises.

Their shop has been hit three times by HGVs over the past few months.

Now they are demanding a bollard is installed outside their shop on the corner of the entrance to a car park at the rear of their property.

The couple – who have run the business for the last three years – are fed up with having to organise repair work and have called on Uttoxeter Town Council for help.

Mrs Nicolaou said: "We seem to have a problem with lorry drivers crashing into our shop.

"Not only is it dangerous and costly for us, but this is a problem that keeps happening and could be a problem for the general public.

"The fact that the lorry drivers get close enough to my shop to hit it is extremely worrying.

"What if a customer had been walking out or in the shop at the time?

"They could kill someone by getting that far up the pavement. It is not fair on us or the public.

"We would like to suggest that a bollard be put up on our side of the pavement outside the shop to stop this costly and dangerous problem from occurring," added Mrs Nicolaou.

Her husband, Pani, said the canopy over the entrance to the shop had been damaged on one occasion and an extractor fan and wall had been hit.

He said: "I have forked out hundreds of pounds and no one seems to care.

"I think those who do it should pay for it. Times are hard and I can't afford to keep paying.

"They have put bollards everywhere else so why not outside the shop to stop this happening?"

Uttoxeter Town Council's policy and planning committee is expected to discuss the situation at a future meeting.

A spokesman confirmed the council had received a letter from the couple "expressing concern in respect of traffic colliding with their premises".