Vandals smash Bognor Regis gallery window

They smashed one of the windows of the Art and Music studio and gallery in Essex Road.

The damage occurred while a flute lesson was being held in an adjacent room.

Sandra said: “I run a small local business teaching art and music and have been running it successfully for a couple of years.

“The damage to the window is an expensive and time-consuming problem.

“I have had quotes of around £1,000-1,500 to replace the glass and make good the damage to the paintwork.

“The problem is the glass will have to be replaced from inside the room and fixtures and fittings will have to be removed and then replaced and made good.

“I am a working mum with an 11-month-old baby son and I will really struggle to find the time to sort out this extra problem among teaching classes and painting commission portraits.

“I will have to find the money and get this soon done soon, though, as I use the windows to display my art work.”

The window was smashed between 6.25pm-6.35pm last Thursday. It is believed the police might have a description of the person responsible. Officers are investigating the incident.

At night, and when the gallery is closed, steel shutters protect the building.

Other shops and businesses in the Essex Road and Hawthorn Road area have been plagued by youths banging on their windows in recent months.

Mike Bosley, the owner of Mike’s Music Workshop on the corner of Essex Road, said: “We have had many incidents over the last few months of young people banging on our windows.

“Last Saturday, after Thursday’s event, I spoke to a youth who was hitting the shop window with a stick.

“I have been concerned that damage may occur or someone may be injured by breaking glass.

“I have CCTV footage of this incident and will be giving it to the police.”

Dental laboratory owner Mark Bradshaw, whose business is nearby, has also made several reports to the police about anti-social behaviour relating to windows being banged.

Mr Bosley’s business has been open since 1981 and didn’t need shutters until the early 1990s as security became more essential.

“Over the years, we’ve lost a window here and there. These things tend to come in waves but it is getting very annoying,” he said.

“Most of the time we ignore the banging on the windows but, with one of them being smashed, the problem is ramping up a bit.

“It’s getting out of hand. We just want to get on with our work and not have to worry about this.”

The situation will also get costly for businesses who have to constantly replace glass or make insurance claims. Mr Bosley asked anyone with information about the incidents to report them to Sussex Police.

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