Cafe chaos after car crashes into building
Staff face uncertain future
A devastated business owner says she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to reopen her takeaway after a car crashed into it.
Toni James, 25, has run Ferry Nice Food takeaway in Ferry Road for the last four years.
On Monday she was inspected and passed by Environmental Health. But just hours later a car crashed into the front of her business, destroying it and making the whole building structurally unsafe.
Residents living in all five flats above and beside the shop were told to leave the block immediately and find alternative accommodation. They were hoping to return last night after work to stabilise the building.
But Toni, who is mum to 10- month- old Kai, told the Express she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to open her shop back up to start making a living again.
She said: “I was at home around the corner and someone came and told me a car had crashed into my shop.
“Where it crashed is right at my deep fat fryers. The worktop has gone. If we had been standing there working, we would be dead.
“I’ve spent a fortune on it. I’ve got four staff out of work, including me.
“I’ve got a 10-month-old son and bills to pay. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Toni appealed for anyone who can offer her or her staff any work to get in touch with her via the business’s Facebook page.
Karen McKenna and Steven Morrison, both 39, live in the flat above the shop.
Karen said: “I was driving home and had just parked my car around the corner when I heard a loud bang and saw a bumper and lights flying across the road.
“I was worried because Steven was behind me and thought he might have crashed. I went around and saw the car sticking out.
“The fire brigade and police were here really quickly. The police have been really good, they’ve been keeping us informed.
“Thank goodness no one was in the shop or walking past – at least no one was hurt.”
Renfrewshire Council say the site is due to be examined by a structural engineer who will assess whether it’s safe for residents to return.
A spokesman said: “We can confirm Ferry Road reopened to traffic on Tuesday morning, having been closed after the incident on Monday evening.
“Council staff attended the scene last night and this morning, and the building is not considered immediately dangerous.
“A structural engineer is due on site for further assessment, however at this stage we cannot confirm when the eight evacuated residents will be allowed back into the building.”
Police Scotland have appealed for witnesses to the crash, which took place on Monday night around 6.40pm, to come forward.
Sergeant Alan Mack, who is based in Renfrew, said: “A serious road collision occurred at Ferry Road in Renfrew on Monday. A white Volkswagon Golf struck the Ferry Nice Food shop in Ferry Road causing extensive damage to the car and to the building.
“We are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the accident to please get in touch. Likewise, we would ask drivers to check their dashcam footage to see if they captured the incident.”
If you have any information, you should contact Renfrew police on 101.
The Scottish Fire Service also attended the accident and helped make the area safe.
A spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 6.43pm on Monday, May 14, to a road traffic collision in Renfrew.
“Op e r a t i o n s C o n t ro l immediately mobilised three fire engines to Ferry Road where a car had collided with a wall.
“Two male casualties were out of the vehicle and were treated on scene by ambulance service personnel.
“Firefighters made the area safe before leaving the scene.”
A 29-year-old man has been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with alleged dangerous driving offences.