Holyhead Rd Business Watch
(In the photograph (from left to right) are; PCSO Michele Abbott, Prasant Patel (Holyhead News and Wines), Peter Sturgeon (Coventry Police), Barbara Troth (Goes Chemist), Yasin Nawab (Sherbourne Post Office), Kevin Price (Four Seven Nine Hairdressers), David Gardiner (Beryl Simmons Hairdressers), Rajvinder Dhillon (Coundon Fish Bar), PCSO Mason and Cllr Ridley).
More than 20 shops along the Holyhead Road parade have signed up for a ‘Business Watch’ scheme.
Members will receive regular updates from Sherbourne neighbourhood policing team, plus personalised crime prevention advice, shared best practice and closer links to their neighbouring businesses.
PCSO Hilary Mason, who set-up the Holyhead Road scheme, said: “Business Watch is a valuable tool in the fight against commercial crime and anti-social behaviour. We call in regularly to help ensure these shops remain open and feel supported by us and the community.
Each will display a poster in their window to advertise membership in the scheme and will also play their part in a ‘ring-around’ system where each shop phones the next to pass on important information about suspected shoplifters.”
Overall it’s hoped the scheme will improve security, deter would-be offenders and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. Shopkeepers have already started to feel the benefits. Rajvinder Dhillon of Coundon Fish Bar, said: “The area seems to have quietened down a lot since the police have been visiting. Groups of youths congregating outside our premises can be quite intimidating for staff and customers but I feel this new scheme gives a direct line to local officers and growing confidence that the situation will continue to improve.”
