WOODFORD GRN: Traders 'victimised' over graffiti

9:03am Monday 30th June 2008

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HARDWORKING traders feel victimised after being threatened by young vandals when they clean up graffiti - and fined by Redbridge Council when they do not.

After being told to remove spray paint from the side of their shop or face legal action, staff at Shepherd's Bakery, in Woodford Green, diligently white-washed the wall - but arrived the very next day to find an intimidating message warning them never to do so again.

Anne Holland, who works at the bakery in Snakes Lane East, says she feels like the business is being bullied by both sides - and believes the council has been penalising businesses unfairly for something they can not prevent.

She said: "It happens every week. The council sends around notices saying that they will fine us, and take us to court, if we do not remove graffiti, but every time I do, it reappears after a few hours.

"Last time all these kids just stood there watching me paint it over, and it was quite intimidating."

Snakes Lane East resident, Margaret Smith, sympathises with the shopkeepers, but believes a zero tolerance approach is necessary.

She said: "I think that we have to threaten these people and they should be charged with criminal damage. With the prospect of a stain on their record and no job prospects they will think again.

"There's a parallel with the trouble we had with motorbikes in Roding Valley Park. It stopped completely once the police crushed a few of them - so it pays to be tough."

Redbridge Council's cabinet member for community safety, Councillor Vanessa Cole, said that efforts were being made to bring those responsible to justice.

She added: "If it's the property of a business, or an individual, it is their concern to keep it in a good condition and hopefully the local Safer Neighbourhoods Team will be aware.

"Both the police and the council officers will be keeping a record of these tags and then we will be able to find out who they are.

"Graffiti was a focus of my predecessor, and I will continue with that as it's about getting all the agencies to work together."