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‘Police are Failing Us’: Charity cafe suffers £75k damage following three Christmas attacks
7 January 2025, 13:00 | Updated: 9 January 2025, 15:12
Christmas attack on charity cafe causes £75k in damages
A cafe that hires people with learning disabilities has been forced to close after its windows were smashed three times in two weeks.
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Hive Cafe in Streatham, South London, has been forced to close after a series of vandalism attacks which have caused £75,000 damage and left staff feeling abandoned by the police.
Jenni Broaders, the cafe manager said, “It’s the same thing happening to the same place, at the same time, why is no one patrolling?
“It’s like working in an active crime scene”.
Ms Broaders, who has called the police 12 times in nine months, doesn't feel safe. “I’m at a loss of what to do” she adds, describing the attacks as “extremely traumatic”.
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Despite detailed CCTV, the police have told Ms Broaders there is nothing they can do to identify the suspects.
This comes as alarm bells have been raised by police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley about an underfunded and overstretched police force, with implications for the Met’s ability to tackle crime.
Ms Broaders has requested increased patrolling of Palace Road in Stretham where the cafe is based but claims police presence hasn’t improved.
“It felt like they were only interested once they heard how much it cost” Ms Broaders added.
The cafe has been attacked three times in two weeks, including once on Christmas Eve.
In the most recent attack, which took place in the early morning of January 6, the 15 windows surrounding the cafe were smashed forcing it to close. The motivation of the attacker remains unclear.
On Thursday local MP Steve Reed said he planned to visit the cafe on Friday to offer his support.
He told LBC “I am appalled at the sustained criminal activity at the Hive Charity Café in Streatham Hill. I have reached out to the café and am visiting them tomorrow to discuss how I can support them, and will be raising these ongoing issues with the safer neighbourhood team and borough commander.
"The new government has begun the work of taking back our streets from criminals with a new named neighbourhood officer in every community, including here in Streatham Hill.”
Ms Broaders normally works in the cafe with one other female employee and fears more attacks could take place.
"If one person gets away with it why wouldn’t someone else do it”, she said.
The cafe which is open to the public six days a week, offers placements to students and volunteers, paid employment to adults with learning disabilities, and food to neighbouring supported living.
There are fears that the continued targeting and cost could mean the permanent closure of the cafe which is backed by the Rathbone Society, a Lambeth-based learning disability charity.
A GoFundMe has been launched in an appeal to the community for support to repair the building.
“The community has been great" said Broaders "but it shouldn’t be on the community to keep human beings safe”.
The Met police have been approached for comment.
