Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
‘Disgust’ as poo smeared on doors at city restaurant
Saint Smokeys recently moved to its new home opposite Waitrose
Poo was smeared across the windows of a popular restaurant’s windows - leaving the owners “disgusted and confused”. A man has been arrested after allegedly being captured on CCTV targeting the Caribbean eatery Saint Smokeys' in Canterbury with faeces.
It was also reported he wiped excrement across the buttons of a nearby pedestrian crossing near Waitrose in St George’s Place.
The disturbing act unfolded at about 1.30am on Thursday, according to reports. Stevie Bradshaw is joined in the business with husband Luke, who co-owns it with his father.
“We were really shocked, disgusted and confused as to why anybody would do that anywhere - let alone to us,” the 36year-old said.
“When our staff informed us when they first arrived, it was not nice.
“They had to clean the windows and the guy deliberately smeared it into the lock so it meant unlocking the door was difficult because it was covered in poo. It was really upsetting. “It took them half of the morning to make sure they had disin
fected and cleaned thoroughly.
“They had to stop what they were doing in the shop to do that.”
The owners released CCTV footage in the hope of identifying the culprit.
A police spokesman said: “We received a report of criminal damage to the doors and windows of a business in St George's Place, Canterbury, at about 1.30am on Thursday. “Damage was also reportedly caused to nearby roadside furniture.”
After initial inquiries, a 45year-old man was taken into custody on Friday for the incident and also over an alleged
stalking offence.
He has since been released on bail pending further inquiries. Restaurant owners and father-and-son team Saint Davis and Luke Bradshaw told last year how they had found their dream location. They moved from their former King’s Mile site to St George’s Place, which meant their covers increased from 10 tables to almost 90 in the new eatery opposite Waitrose - taking over the former Cafe De China buffet, most recently called Yummy Kitchen. The pair hunted for new premises for more than five years due to tough competition for business space in the city.