Shop the yobs who bring shame on our city - leader (From Gazette Series)

Shop the yobs who bring shame on our city - leader

SHOP the "yobs" that destroyed Newport's Rustic Tea House, that's the call from the leader of Newport City Council who is outraged by the "mindless" arson attack.

SHOCK: Newport city council leader Councillor Matthew Evans

Today Cllr Matthew Evans is making a direct appeal to Argus readers to report the people who gutted the Belle Vue Park building to the police, while the city’s mayor Bill Langsford said vandalism in the city was reflecting poorly on Newport.

Newport Council is currently waiting for the result of a report from insurers on the tea house, which was burned down early Friday morning.

The shelter - 100 years old this year and restored as part of a £1.25 million project for the whole park pavilion - is now cordoned off.

The incident, which police said they are treating as deliberate, came just days after SuperDragon Deano was revealed to have been ripped from his plinth in Maindee.

DISAPPOINTED: Mayor of Newport Bill Langsford

15 of the models have so far been vandalised.

Newport city council leader Councillor Matthew Evans called for anyone who has any information on the fire should come forward to the police and said: “These yobs should be shopped.”

“It was a totally mindless act and I sincerely hope the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice with the full force of the law,” Cllr Evans said.

Mayor of Newport Bill Langsford told us he was incredibly disappointed when he saw the devastation at Belle Vue Park and the damaged SuperDragon.

“It’s embarrassing for Newport because the artists have put a lot of work into getting these dragons,” he said.

“It’s put a bad reflection on the city because of the minority that have chosen to do this damage.”

However he said that he hoped the perpetrators would be caught.

Police inquiries into the arson are on going. No arrests have yet been made and officers are still appealing for people to come forward.

If you have any information call Gwent Police on 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

---

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Speak up and turn in yobs

WE’RE not surprised that our readers have been left outraged by the arson attack on the 100-year-old Belle Vue Park Rustic Tea House in Newport. The Grade-II listed building had only been renovated four years ago. It was a splendid building, taking pride of place in the park. But all that was destroyed when someone decided it would be a good idea to burn it down. Just what was going through their mind when they did this? Did they think about the children who used it for story telling sessions? Did they think about all those people who used it to sit and rest after a stroll through the park? Of course they didn’t. The only miracle is that somehow this structure can be salvaged and won’t have to be demolished. And we back council leader Matthew Evans today in his call for this yob or yobs to be turned over to the police. Someone will know who did this and we urge them to examine their conscience. People who deliberately set out to destroy something that is used by so many have no place in a civilised society. Let’s hope they’re caught soon.