Squatters break into empty Lanes restaurant and sex shop
Squatters attempted to take over two empty commercial properties in The Lanes in the early hours of Monday morning.
Brighton police were called out twice to two separate reports of squatters causing a disturbance.
The first was at the empty Fat Leo restaurant in Market Street at 2.14am.
The property has just been let again, and the News understands it is about to undergo a refurbishment.
Windows were smashed and loud music and other noises were heard coming from inside, believed to be a fight.
But when police arrived, everything was in order.
They were called out again to the former She Said erotic boutique in Ship Street Gardens at about 3.30am.
A police spokeswoman said: “Police received a report that squatters had broken into a building in Ship Street Gardens, Brighton, at 3.28am on Monday (9 February).
“When police arrived it was established that a window had been smashed at the building but there were no squatters.”
The Brighton and Hove News understands the owner got them to leave and then drilled doors and windows shut.
The She Said boutique relocated to a new shop in Ship Street last month.
On Monday morning, the squatters were seen inside Fat Leo, and notices had been pinned to the windows warning that anyone entering the squat would be prosecuted, with a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a £5,000 fine.By this morning, there was no sign of them.
In April last year, police raided a squat in the former Choccywoccydoodah shop in Duke Street after a man was found with head and ear injuries.
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So in other words, they didn’t break into a sex shop – just into an empty building that once used to be a sex shop. #pruriencefail
druggies need to dealt with – too many in brighton – it is becoming as bad in hove too – soon will be like portslade or worthing! not good
Portslade has lots of druggy homeless but Worthing much better. Homeless people and benefits people need to get a job
I love paying thousands of pounds in rates per year to have neighbours like this who are intimidating and abusive! Does it matter not the impact this has on local business and trade in the area! DISGUSTING!!!
Squatting I can understand… it’s the drugs – ‘specially class As that make people do the damage. Of course the booze can alter the brain, some flip out after a few cans of Foster’s, some you don’t even notice in your workplace, tho’ they’re loaded with a bottle of bourbon. It’s junkies with needles sticking out of they arms end up fighting each other most of the time. In desperate need for a fix they even sleep in doorways abandoning they council-flats ‘cos that would be out on the sticks and no bags would be available. This is the sad things. I’m out and about most of the time and see the creep cruising Duke street, bumming coins basically 16 hours a day and just around the corner another weirdo would be sitting by a shop doing the same. Once they have their fix they disappear, jack up and in an hour they back in business. Drugs ruined and killed ( and stole! ) friends from me and I loath the thing. Sad, sad business & governments around the world just let it go on and on and pathetically wrecking some strange dude’s / gal’s life because they got caught in a derelict building or arguing with a security-guard, maybe jumping a train. C’mon, shape up, open those eyes… B happy in the 21st century, we created it, all together!
Brighton & Hove (West Hove/Portslade) are fantastic places for junkies & students to hangout but for families, Worthing rocks!