Gloucester Road Traders

Hi Bill,

As it happens the ****(insert suitable expletive here) was being arrested outside when I opened my shop this morning. Spoke to the officer there and he sent down the community officer to me for a chat. He's taken a statement and we had a long chat about the issues I've had with him. The Officer thinks he's started to recognise me as he's been cornering me on the street as well as coming into the shop so they're going to do what they can.

He's been a problem to several traders, and a few of the others are also giving statements, but as you say, being a female on my own I've become a little bit of a target. The other 'characters' I have problems with are known by the police apart from one, who's causing them a bit of concern after what I explained had happened here last week, so they're keeping an eye out for him so they can see if he's doing anything else.

He's suggested that things have escalated because I was nice to some of these 'characters' at first (I was polite, I'm a polite girl, what else would I do!). You just don't expect such things to happen when you first open a business. But I got some very good advice which really helped.

My fiance is coming straight down after work to install security cameras as this has just shown we really need to get that sorted asap.

Annoyingly my friends who live locally are all at work in my opening hours, but I'm going to have a chat with Dom later in the cafe a few doors down and see if I can call on him if I need to. I have a **** alarm we thought we'd use so if he can hear it he knows to pop in and check on me. He's a lovely guy so I'm sure he would. I totally agree with it needing a firm man. I'm a 5'2" petite girl and I don't look like the sort of person who can handle herself. I'm no mad feminist - there are situations when women aren't equal to men, and this is one of them.

It does make me concerned though about employing people in the future. If I employed a girl and the same kind of thing happened, would they be able to take me to some kind of tribunal for letting them work alone with such goings on? I haven't got into looking up any legalities of employees and employee safety yet, no need until I'm in that position, but it's got me thinking.
 

I've been having a nightmare time with a local drunk. Well, a few actually, but one in particular causes me extra grief.

This one has cornered me outside my shop on several occasions, best way to describe his actions is 'Pervy without touching'. He's passed out drunk in out doorway over Halloween (scaring off customers) and we had to get the police down to help us move him on.

Yesterday he came in asking for free coffee, meanwhile trying to look behind the counter, now today, he's been in the shop while I was helping someone with a hire costume and he came in and urinated on my shop floor. I didn't see him do it, but another customer described the person who came into the shop and I'm pretty sure it's him.

Annoyingly I don't have it on camera, so I don't have anything to prove he did it or use to report him. He seems to be ramping up a bit so I'm a bit worried about what he might do next. Any suggestions from other retailers? There's a lot of 'Characters' like this in the area. Has anyone else had a similar situation before?

Sadly he's not the only one. I have a few characters who come in causing trouble. But this is the first one to do something I'm sure I must be able to do something about. The rest come in and just upset other customers (or I have one that comes in and stands at my counter just staring at me for 10 mins until he finally leaves).

Days like this are a bit of a challenge!!!!!

Air your Views - The Gloucester Road Traders Association is delighted to announce that they have secured a visit to this area by the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Chris Leslie MP.
He wants to come and hear what local independent businesses have to say about the issues affecting their trading environment, customers and profitability and to take away ideas that Labour can build into the planning for their budget and discussions at senior party level.

This is a rare opportunity to have your questions answered, and your issues raised with a senior politician, who has influence over the key matter of the purse strings, and is right hand man to Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Leslie will be meeting local businesses owners on Thursday 12th December from 3.30pm, venue tbc but it will be very local.

The GRT Ltd would like to invite you to join them, so put this date in your diary and to ensure admittance please confirm your attendance by email to info@gloucester-road.co.uk.

If you have any burning questions that you would like Mr Leslie to answer, or issues that you’d like to raise, please post them on the GRT Ltd forum at http://gloucesterroadtraders.createaforum.com  under Gloucester Road Events  or  email your question to  info@gloucester-road.co.uk.

Confirmation of the venue will be sent to all those who register their attendance. See you there.

No but I'll definitely take a look at it on 4OD.

You can see it here:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-cctv-traffic-wardens-caught-on-camera/4od#3614316

He appears at about 19 mins through, but Gloucester Road features heavily.

Did you all see that C4 show starring Dan the Fish last night? What a star!!
Vince.