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Yobs force sweet shop to shut
Tuesday 5th February 2008, 2:41PM GMT.
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The owners of an old-fashioned sweet shop in the Black Country today revealed they are selling their beloved business after vandals struck for the third time in weeks.
Husband and wife John and Anita Pinches said they could not sleep at night with worry over their shop Sweet Tooth in Wolverhampton.
The quaint store based in Tettenhall Road, Newbridge, sells traditional treats such as barley sugars, pear drops and rhubarb and custards. However, it has been targeted three times since November by yobs.
In the latest attack in the early hours of Saturday, large stones were hurled at the front door – causing hundreds of pounds of damage – less than 24 hours after security cameras had been installed at the premises.
Heartbroken Mrs Pinches, 39, of Bilbrook, said today: “We’ve been here for three years but I can’t take it any more. I find myself up at 2am sick with worry.
“It’s a shame to see those responsible win but we’re going to sell up now.
“We’d like to thank our customers because they are so loyal and come from miles around but physically I can’t cope any more,” she said.
Mr Pinches, aged 41, said they would have to shell out around £600 for a new door.
Mrs Pinches added: “I don’t understand why they are targeting us. It’s not like we’re selling jewellery or plasma-screen TVs.
“Ideally, I’d like to sell to someone who is willing to keep it as a sweet shop.
“This happened the day after we installed cameras but we hadn’t set up all the timers, so they switched off at 2am,” he added.
The first attack in November saw £600 of glass smashed and sweets stolen. Two men were arrested following the second attack a few days before Christmas, in which thieves smashed through the door and tried to steal the till.
The Pinches are planning to sell their sweets from a mobile trailer and have been asked to attend events organised by National Trust and English Heritage.
Customer Mary Hayward, aged 50, of Whitmore Reans, said: “This is such a unique shop, it’s like something you would see in the Black Country Museum.”
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Really, Really sorry to hear – once again – of hardworking, law abiding citizens losing out to low life.
Until there is a deterrent, things will only get worse.
Best of luck for the future.
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What a terrible sham, it is such a great sweet shop run by lovely people. Why should hardworking people always lose out to scum.
All the best for the future.
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Don’t let a minority spoil it for the rest of us. I hope you got a clear image of their faces.
The fact remains that yobs can do this, and yet people – including children – can be fined £75 for dropping a sweet wrapper. Where is the justice? Decent people are selling up and shipping out because this country is becoming a laughing stock.
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and where are the police? So much for police on our streets under nu labour.
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Oh but Rob..wait until there’s an election. I can almost guarantee that when the time approaches, such incidents will become pertinent issues on many a constabulary mindset. Especially when there’s votes to be had.
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And the lowlife win again! It amazes me how these things keep happening and nothing ever seems to get done apart from the occasional slap on the wrist if they get caught. National Service isn’t the answer because it’s not fair on the military to try and sort these morons out but how about hard labour like they have in america
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the brainless idiots are at it again,how come they are supposed to be educated in this country,this government knows how to deal with these idiots when caught, but they are scared of these liberty and goody goody people,to do anything that 99% of the people of this country want them to do.
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Colley Gate Wolf.
I agree with everything you’ve said! National Service is not the answer, no professional soldier would want one of these cowardly scumbags by his/her side in a crisis.
The judiciary & government are to blame, handing out silly sentences like Lucky Bags.
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nu labour still no police and they want a pay rise,do real policing and then the public might support you pay rise,because real soon we’ll have to all be vigilanty’s just to defend our property from the scum of our once great nation,over 400,000 good taxpaying brits leave this country every year,and we’re left with the dole scroungers illeagals and do gooders buggering up the law,so the criminals get off scotfree and stick a claim in for there suffering the laws a joke its time to defend your own and sod the government.
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I can relate to you – this morning I turned up at my business – The Aynuk & Ayli Cafe in Netherton, and found it had been burgled for the 3rd time in 2 months. My other business, a hair salon just opposite my cafe was also burgled for the 3rd time last week – that’s SIX break-ins in 4 months!
I am collecting Crime Numbers – and awaiting progress reports from the police. I may be in for a long wait! I am not holding my breath.
For me, I’m battling on, adamant not to let this sad element of our society abandon my ambitions. I don’t blame you for trying to sell up at all – I wish you all the very best.
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It was like going back in time when you walked in to that shop
Friendly people trying to make a honest living all the sweets
from my child hood and memories that will never be replaced
Thanks to the small minded few that have spoiled it fo all
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We would like to thank everyone for their comments and a big thankyou to the many customers who have rang us wishing us luck. It has been lovely to find out that our shop means so much to so many people.
Thankyou all. sweet tooth
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It’s very sad, I always intended to pop in for some sweets but never quite got around to it. I think the problem for this couple was that they were tucked into a corner where no witnesses would clock the little swines. I do hope Mr and Pinches set up shop somewhere else and don’t let the yobs win.
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Amazing how yobs are taking over our streets and our lives. Bring back the cane, the birch and discipline, and let these evil cretins feel the power of pain. I bet there are a lot of people out there willing to do the job.
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as a shop owner myself I would like to express my disappointment at this situation. but, i dare say the owners of the shop are reading this… you are not alone!
my shop is continually targetted by mindless yobs, we have had several attempted break-ins, we had had 3 windows broken in the past year (whilst we were open!!) and we sell £1 items. The police did nothing for us either. they are really great at giving crime reference numbers though!!
I know what you mean about the worry and sleepless nights. sometimes I walk at 3am just to see if i’ve been broken into again.
Don’t take it personally, these people are scum. I’m not far behind you though, i wont be renewing my lease when it expires in april… i don’t see the point in trying to give something back to the community when that same community refuses to help eliminate such a nuisance.
why bother?
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The powers that be in Wolverhampton, Cllrs, officers, police, social workers should all take some responsibility for this. I’m ashamed to live in a city where decent people are forced out by thugs while the establishment stand by and effectively sanction it.
Good luck guys, our loss is somewhere else’s gain.
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Moved to California over 2 and a half decades ago from Wolverhampton. Apears as though things have gotten worse than when I lived there. But I’m also sure there’s lots of good going on in Wolverhampton and England also but don’t get to hear that much as a headline. Sorry to hear about closing of your store due to break-ins and vandalism.
An idea for you, try California for your business. There is a very nice cozy English sweet shop in Carmel (pristine little seaside town where Clint Eastwood was mayor and right next to world famous golf course Pebble Beach) California that is probably right up your alley. They seem to do good business. Laws are strict and enforced over here and vandals get caught and jail time. Weather is beautiful also. I also met another couple from England who seem to have a nice English sweets/foods business in San Francisco and are enjoying it. Of course, you would be in earthquake country and guns are everywhere thanks to “right to bear arms” which means you get to have one also for protection. There’s many other English shops and pubs also, they all seem to be doing well and have been in business for many years. You do what you think is right for you and hope all works out well for you in whatever you decide to do, this is just one option.
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I hate the fact that the shop is closing! Where on earth will I buy my boxes of green turtles?!?!?!?
From the guy who buys lots of green turtles =]
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emigrate
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The Chav culture wins again! Though I have to say that where I live in Featherstone we have been plaugued by little yobs over the last year or so. Local residents got fed up with the disruption and kept phoning the PCSO or the local station. Their response has been fantastic and we have finally been rid of the nuisance. It did take a while but persitence paid off. The key is to stand together and don’t give up. It does work! I had lost faith in the police but can’t praise them enough now.
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