Fed-up businesses in a Victorian Huddersfield arcade claim Kirklees is not doing enough to keep them safe.
The companies in Byram Arcade off Westgate say they have seen no improvements for a decade, are worried about security and if nothing is done the arcade may become a “dead area of town.”
Jonny Slow, owner of Arcade Coffee and Food, said: “We have a problem. Not only were we broken into twice last week we have had three people when asked to move on from our outside seating area, abuse our staff with racial abuse, attack our staff and customers by throwing knives, coffee jugs and whatever they could get their hands on at them, kicking in our front door and just generally smashing up our cafe.
“We don’t want sympathy, we want some action. The Byram Arcade is being neglected by its landlord Kirklees Council. This beautiful Victorian shopping arcade is being left to rot in favour of corporate shopping centres, ski slopes and cinemas.
“We all as tenants pay an extremely large service fee for the arcade but what is this spent on? Why has nothing being improved in the last 10 years? Why in six months of being open have our staff and customers being attacked and threatened three times, why can’t we use this fee to arrange some form of security to keep our shops, customers and staff safe.
“We won’t give up trying to help this arcade become a beautiful, friendly and independent place for the public to visit and spend time but we can’t do it on our own. We need the help of the council or this arcade will end up another closed off, desolate and dead area of town.”
Police in Huddersfield are investigating reports of criminal damage and burglary at the arcade.
Huddersfield Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector James Kitchen said: “We are making enquiries following a number of incidents reported in the Arcade in Huddersfield town centre.
“We are working closely with our partners, including Kirklees Council to ensure that these issues are tackled, so that businesses can continue to run smoothly.
“The Huddersfield NPT team will be deployed to conduct high visibility patrols in the area to provide reassurance and support to our local businesses.”
Paul Kemp, Service Director, Economy, Regeneration and Culture said: “Criminal and anti-social behaviour is never acceptable and anyone who witnesses it is encouraged the contact the police in the first instance. The council is committed to playing its part in making the town a safe and pleasant place for people to live, work and spend leisure time and we take incidents such as this very seriously.
“An officer has contacted the shop tenant and will be meeting them later today. We are working closely with the police on these recent incidents and are looking into what support can be offered to our tenants to prevent this happening again.”
