Wesley Richardson, from First For Flooring in Lewes Road, Brighton, was told by an environmental enforcement officer from Brighton and Hove city council that the tagging must be cleared.
He now faces a £100 fine if the graffiti is not removed, or if it reappears within the 14-day period from when a community protection warning was issued.
Is this the first time he's been hit with this visual vandalism, then? No, Reader, far from it:
Wesley has removed graffiti from his store many times, only for it to return shortly after.
So why is the council punishing the victim here?
“They’re doing everything they can to help small businesses, the Government, but then it feels like the council are just screwing you over,” said Wesley. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Because they are!
Wesley said he was informed by an environmental enforcement officer that the city council will work in tandem with Sussex Police to tackle tagging.
But not, I note, by helping the businesses hit by this catch and punish the vandals...
Have to say that as soon as I see the word Brighton, I lose interest because you know it will be some ridiculous nonsense.
ReplyDeleteWell, he doesn't have to do it himself. The costs of cleaning vandalism are broadly equivalent to what it costs to hire someone to wait for, and do serious violence to, the vandal. The police aren't interested in street altercations, just as they aren't interested in shoplifting and burglary. Just so long as the hired hand doesn't wolf-whistle at a passing tranny (it is Brighton, after all) or call the little shit with a spray can a 'wog' while he is being beaten to a pulp, then all will pass, apparently without a ripple of a concern to the police farce.
ReplyDeleteThe council are just screwing him over. No doubt the police aren't interested and extortion of the victim, who is just a sitting duck, is par for the course in UK today.
ReplyDelete"Have to say that as soon as I see the word Brighton, I lose interest because you know it will be some ridiculous nonsense."
ReplyDeleteNot for nothing has it been granted its own blog tag!
"...then all will pass, apparently without a ripple of a concern to the police farce."
Brighton appears to have more than its fair share of corrupt officers, I note. Suerly one or two could be persuaded to do some cash-in-hand moonlighting?
"...par for the course in UK today."
Sadly true.