The angry owner of a Burnham-On-Sea High Street business whose shop front has been damaged 14 times in 15 years has this week said police in the town are fighting a losing battle against crime.
Mark Woods, director of Watermark Financial Solutions, pictured, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Unfortunately, this is one of the hidden costs of running a business with shop front premises.”
“Two of our huge shop front windows have been broken again. This is the 14th incident of vandalism we have suffered in the fifteen years we’ve been based in Burnham town centre.”
“As with many other businesses like ours, we are unable to claim for the cost against insurance as the insurance companies eventually have to decline to offer us cover due to the high volume and expense of claims.”
Watermark has owned the building since 1999 and with its gothic style pillars, it was recently highlighted for its historical importance in proposals to enlarge the town’s conservation area.
“After 15 years of hard work establishing a business in the local community, there are people in the town who seem to have a complete disregard for the property of others whilst we are striving to make Burnham town centre more attractive.”
“We wholeheartedly support the local police and value what they are trying to do, but the sad fact of the matter remains that they are virtually powerless to act and small businesses like ourselves pay the price.”
“CCTV has not yet successfully identified a single person in any of the 14 acts of vandalism here.”
“It’s galling that whoever is responsible for this mindless vandalism will probably walk away scot-free while I will have to pay out hundreds of pounds replacing my windows with safety glass so that the next person who decides to damage my premises doesn’t hurt themselves.”
“With year-on-year crime up almost 50 per cent in Burnham and Highbridge, according to official figures, it would appear that police are fighting a losing battle and with a little over one in five crimes actually solved in Burnham, is it any wonder that we have a culture of do what you like without fear of repercussion?”
