'I don't feel safe' - Boss' fears just one month into shop job

Cezar Alexandru, of Tudor Stores in Rose Lane, has been confronted with knives and has been threatened within the last two weeks.

The manager works in the shop with his mum under the private owner of Tudor Stores.

Now Mr Alexandru's mum is refusing to do anymore shifts after a recent spike in crime in the area.

Cezar Alexandru, the new store manager of Tudor Stores in Rose Lane (Image: Archant)

And the 34-year-old, who moved to England from Romania nearly 10 years ago, doesn't blame her for quitting.

"I have been here nearly four weeks and it does make you consider whether it is worth it," Mr Alexandru said.

"It is very dangerous and I do not feel safe. I am feeling scared and my mum is the same."

The shop has CCTV installed which Mr Alexandru said he will be checking in response to recent incidents.

A security guard also works in the shop on Friday and Saturday nights for protection with Mr Alexandru saying he would like to see him more often.

It comes as the Jet petrol station opposite the newsagents has also been targeted by thugs in recent months.

This included three incidents involving guns and knives at the garage in September, and a further knife incident this month.

Owner Ramanathan Uthayarajan has a range of security measures including modern CCTV, a door lock and panic button to call police under his counter.

Tudor Stores has been a newsagents for decades.

It was previously a shop before that and many people will remember it housing the English Sweet Shop, displaying dozens of jars of boiled candies in the window.

Nareshkumar Kanthasamy took a 10-year lease for £8,500 a year with a private landlord for Tudor Stores back in 2019.

Mr Alexandru said the businessman is currently in the process of applying for a 24-hour licence, although this has been met with objections from those living nearby in the past.