Spalding town centre trader calls for the authorities to ‘man up’ and sort issues with drug and alcohol

It’s time for the authorities to ‘man up’ and tidy up the town centre before it is too late - according to a concerned trader.

Retailer Sharla Slayven has invested in Spalding by converting an empty Market Place store into a thriving business, The Shoppe, with the aim of bringing more people to the town centre.

But she fears that Spalding is going to become a ‘ghost town’ unless action is taken to sort out the issues surrounding drinking and drug taking by South Holland District Council and the town’s police.

She has been forced to employ private security officers to protect her premises and staff following a brawl in the street and threats being made to rob her shop.

This comes as Spalding Business Board unveils its plans to boost visitor numbers to the town centre during a meeting in the South Holland Centre at 6pm tomorrow (Wednesday).

Mrs Slayven has also highlighted issues with urination in the areas behind the town centre, fly-tipping and the lack of help available for people who are battling against addiction.

She said: “Something needs to be done quickly. “Why should retailers put their time and money into the town - and it is a beautiful place - for nothing? If we are not careful the streets are going to be run by alcoholics and drug addicts. They are not helped and we are not helped - the council and police are doing nothing.

“The council can’t be bothered to do anything and neither can the police.

“The council really needs to start to man up and it needs someone to look after the drug addicts and shop keepers. They are sat there doing nothing.

“They need to come down on the drug issues and help their local traders. They have got to start doing something or it will be a ghost town before we know it.”

Since June, Mrs Slayven has experienced problems with people going through the rubbish in a neighbouring premises and scattering this mess over the land behind her property.

On Monday last week she took the additional step of paying for a private security guard after someone had made a threat to rob the store and the brawl in the street.

Mrs Slayven said: “I’ve had to put security outside my shop as my customers are petrified. One of them said to my staff that they are going to ‘come back and rob you’. One staff member is 19.

“The fight was absolute carnage. I had to let three senior ladies in my shop as they were petrified.

“I have had security on the door since Monday and they were not in the doorway on Thursday morning so it shows it is working.

“Why should I pay for security when the council sit in their nice offices with cameras and a security guard at the front door to protect them from inquiries. They just don’t care.”

Duvets and bags have been seen in the Clinton Cards doorway and men have been sleeping there during the day.

The fight broke out while an agent was showing a potential new tenant around the shop.

Mrs Slayven said: “They are fighting over the money they are getting. If one gets money they fight over it.

“There should be more support in Spalding for people. If they have somewhere to go and get support for rehab.”

She also highlighted that a number of the town’s toilets are shut and that there are issues with people urinating in the areas behind the town centre – and the lack of powers for the district council street wardens.

Mrs Slayven said: “I showed a video to the street warden of the urine at the back of HSBC.

“He said he could not do anything as they were under the influence. They are under the influence at 7am.

“All the street wardens do is walk up and down the street and fist pump these people. It’s horrendous.”

Mrs Slayven and her team had spent months transforming the former Thomas Cook building, which had stood empty for some time, into a store selling workwear and school uniforms.

She said: “We are trying to get people to town. We have put a lot of money and effort into that shop and I feel that it is for nothing.

“People say that Springfields is the demise of Spalding but it’s not.

“The demise of Spalding is down to the drug addicts and alcoholics and the council do nothing.”

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