East Kilbride News

Bridal boutique targeted by vandals

- NICOLA FINDLAY

The owner of a Village bridal boutique told the News she felt like she had been“kicked in the stomach” after discoverin­g vandals had targeted her shop.

Born and bred in East Kilbride, Joanna Kilpatrick opened Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo in 2010, combining two previous shops in the area into one on Main Street over three years ago.

But louts tried to smash her shop front last week, meaning the window will have to be replaced.

She believes the incident took place late last Tuesday night, after around 10.30pm, into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Speaking to the News, she said:“It’s like a kick in the stomach - for someone to do this to us at a time like this. Life has been hard enough as it is of late. We are all just trying to do our best to get back on our feet.

“I barely slept after I discovered the damage. There was no damage to any other shop on the street so I just don’t understand why we were targeted.

“We’ve never had any real problems in the past. I grew up in East Kilbride which makes it even more galling.

“The alarm didn’t go off as the window didn’t fully smash thanks to the toughened glass doing its job.

“But there are flats above us and businesses around us that may have seen something.

“There is also CCTV, so hopefully that will catch something.

“And to make matters worse we can’t get the window replaced for three weeks due to the size of it.”And

Joanna added that the smashed window will do nothing to help bolster her business after months in lockdown.

She explained:“We have brides travelling from as far away as Dundee and Edinburgh and a smashed window certainly doesn’t make for the beautiful experience we are trying to create for them.

“I have also been trying to help other businesses in the

Village by giving them names and recommenda­tions for restaurant­s and other places to eat when they travel through .

“It’s about trying to help each other as much as possible at such a difficult time.”

Police confirmed that an incident had been reported and investigat­ions were ongoing.

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 ??  ?? Breaking glass Vandals smashed the huge window at the bridal boutique in the Village
Breaking glass Vandals smashed the huge window at the bridal boutique in the Village
 ??  ?? Devastated Bridal boutique owner Joanna Kilpatrick
Devastated Bridal boutique owner Joanna Kilpatrick

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