Shop-wreck owner fears looting risk

Shop owner Kabir Ahmed outside his damaged premises.

THE owner of a shop which was ploughed into by a car has called for traffic-calming measures and spoken of his fear of looting while the wall remains collapsed.

Kabir Ahmed, who has owned the Shaw off-licence for 13 years, is waiting to be told by a structural engineer today what will happen to the building and the effect on his livelihood.

The Chronicle reported how police were called to the shop on Rochdale Road at the crossroads of Fraser Street and Chamber Road after a black Honda Civic hit the store around midnight on Saturday.

Worried

Mr Ahmed said: “It was a mess, the fridge was over the counter and there was a lot of damage throughout. I’ve never seen it like that.

“I’ve been worried that people will loot the place and we have had youths trying to come in and take stuff since it happened.

“We are really hoping we can stay in the shop because it is our livelihood.

“Something needs to be done about it to calm the traffic. We would like to see bollards put in around the pavement to protect pedestrians and stop drivers from hitting buildings.”

The building has been rendered dangerously unstable after the collision in which the driver of the Civic allegedly attempted to overtake another car, clipped it, and drove straight into the shop.

The car was towed away and the driver was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. No-one was injured during the incident.
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