By Lisa Ramsden
AN attempted break-in at a community hub, which opened in Newcastle just eight weeks ago, is another sign of “growing trouble and disorder” that is taking its toll on the town.
That’s the view of Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association’s co-chairperson, Campbell Miller, after an attack on their premises at the weekend.
Residents in the area alerted the group to unusual activity close to its hub at the harbour on Saturday, around 9.15pm.
They could hear disorder coming from the car park, and as association members were arriving, saw a small blue car exiting at speed.
The group says the vehicle was carrying those who targeted their premises, smashing a glass door and also attempting to gain access to the property via its roof.
Their indoor CCTV system captured the damage occurring at 9.32pm.
The group is now fast-tracking the installation of external security cameras on the property, and has said this attack, plus mounting concerns about illegal activities in the area, is a further indicator that the district council must prioritise new lighting in the vicinity.
Mr Miller says the attack on the hub, which was opened in the middle of June, following a lengthy community-led campaign to breathe new life into the derelict building and make it an essential space for harbour users and the wider community, “is really disheartening”.
However, he added, in the days since news of the attack on their building emerged, the group has been heartened by several financial donations.
He said whilst fortunate that nothing was stolen, on this occasion, the group’s fundraising activities had taken a hit previously – when scrap copper, which had been donated and was due to be sold off to help pay for some of the facility’s final renovation bills – was stolen.
He added that there is “a worrying, growing picture” of offences in the town, noting that earlier this month vandals uprooted a bench on King Street, which overlooks the harbour area, and carried it all the way downhill before throwing it in the tide.
“This was an August evening, just after 9pm, and it’s hard to get your head around the fact that that did not stop them.
“The police are run ragged, it looks like they stretched to full capacity, and it’s concerning.”
Mr Miller continued: “These boys weren’t here for any other reason than wanting to cause damage, it’s futile.
“It is disheartening to be targeted like this.
“Our concern is that what more will we have to do to keep our hub safe. We do not want to have to put shutters on the building, but what would help is for proper lighting to be installed. There has been a lot of antisocial behaviour in the harbour, with drugs being taken and sold in the car park; we have had strangers untying boats and then you have things like this happening. Some people just seem intent on causing destruction.
“We need the lighting; it will really help deter any offending.”
