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A controversial Croydon vape shop owner will be taken to court for continually blocking the pavement with stacks of cargo.
This long-anticipated move comes as part of Croydon Council’s ‘crackdown’ on anti-social behaviour in the borough.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry revealed that the owner of Vape and Mobile on Selsdon Road will face prosecution following multiple complaints from residents.
“We’re cracking down on antisocial behaviour in Croydon,” Mr Perry stated in his post. “This includes prosecuting the owner of Vape and Mobile after residents complained about antisocial behaviour, including deliveries blocking the pavement for long periods. The case will be in court later this month.”
The issue surrounding Vape and Mobile was highlighted earlier this year in an exclusive report by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). Residents were frustrated with the shop, which had seen numerous deliveries obstructing the pavement, causing an eyesore and leaving pedestrians with little space to navigate.
One elderly South Croydon resident named Mary said: “It just looks ugly, doesn’t it, seeing them all stacked up like that.”
Despite this, Mr Patel, the owner of Vape and Mobile, strongly defended the shop’s operations in response to the complaints. He said: “We are running a business, and we contribute more revenue than all of these shops have done in their lifetime. What is their issue?”
He also said how his business was a ‘success story’ while other shops were closing up throughout Croydon. He added: “I bought all these businesses when they were closed. If I ever left here, who would occupy these buildings?
“We are running a business, we are employing 20 people, we are paying business rates and VAT on our goods. They only see our boxes just because it’s in sight. We only put the pallets out two hours before they come. We don’t have a choice; it’s out of necessity.”
In recent months, the shop has become a focal point for concerns over anti-social behaviour in the area. The public has responded positively to the council’s action, with many feeling that the crackdown is long overdue.
South Croydon’s Conservative councillors have led the drive for this action and were praised online following yesterday’s announcement. One member of the public, Allison Allen, commented on Facebook: “Hopefully, the start of getting a decent local shopping street back.”
The case against the shop owner will be heard in court later this month.
