Vandals hurl paint at Norwich pub

A Norwich pub which has recently been given a facelift has been targeted by vandals who have thrown pots of red and pink paint at the building.

Part of the front of the Heartsease pub has been cordoned off with police tape to stop people from accessing the area where paint has been splashed up the window and recently-painted white walls of the building.

Police are investigating the vandalism, which is believed to have happened at the Plumstead Road pub at about 11.45pm on Tuesday.

People living in the area were shocked to discover the state of the pub, which had just been given a fresh lick of paint a few days ago.

Steve Moy, 52, a window cleaner, said he was told last week to come clean the windows on Wednesday as they would have finished painting the pub by then.

He said: 'I came up in the morning and it was a bit of a mess. It shocked me, They've only just painted the pub,'

Thelma Hewitt, 71, who lives at Margetson Avenue, off St Williams Way, Thorpe St Andrew, said: 'It's not very nice to see it – it's a bit of a shock. It was done during the night. It wasn't like that on Tuesday.

'It's dreadful when its only just been done – they've been sprucing it up. It's such a shame.'

The Evening News contacted the Heartsease pub about the vandalism but no-one wanted to comment.

Alan Waters a Norwich City councillor for Crome ward, which covers Plumstead Road, said he was disappointed to hear about the vandalism and condemned the 'thoughtless' actions of those responsible.

He said: 'It's very disappointing and depressing, particularly when pub landlords and landladies are working very hard to keep businesses going in tough times. This is the last thing they want to happen. Pubs are working hard to make themselves attractive and welcoming for local residents and so this is a real slap in the face for all the hard work they're trying to do.'

It is not the first time a pub has been targeted by vandals in this way. In December 2006 the Evening News reported how yobs daubed the walls of the Maids Head pub in Old Catton with graffiti and smashed windows.

The attack on the Spixworth Road pub was labelled one of the worst acts of vandalism in the area for years after vandals scrawled offensive words across the popular pub's frontage, threw paint at the walls and smashed many of the front windows.

Anyone with any information about the attack on the Heartsease pub or who saw anyone acting suspiciously at the time should call PC Graham Gill on 0845 456 4567.

Has your business been targeted by vandals? Contact Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or peter.walsh@archant.co.uk.