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A New Brighton hardware store has been the target of vandals after they found their shop was covered in graffiti overnight.
As reported by the Wirral Globe, workers at Rightway DIY on Victoria Road arrived on Monday morning to find every wall of the building defaced with pink and blue paint. The words "FLYING DUTCHMAN SHOP LOCAL" had been scrawled across the store, with open cans of paint left on the pavement outside.
David Clarke, who is the store's managing director of the store told the Wirral Globe that two staff members were in tears due to the vandalism.
"We're disappointed to be the subject of some wanton vandalism," he said. "We get a huge amount of positive feedback from the community about how we operate and what we do.
Mr Clarke said the vandalism discovery hit the staff members hard because they consider the store "their store", as this is part of the store's "employee ownership model".
Staff at the store, including the store's manager, are said to be uncomfortable coming to work.
He added that staff feel intimidated on a personal level.
The graffiti appeared to reference another nearby retailer and included a message promoting shopping locally, though Mr Clarke does not believe that business was involved in the attack.
"I don't, for a minute, think it's anything to do with the other local retailer," he said. "It's just the wanton vandalism in an area that everybody is trying to improve."
Mr Clarke confirmed there had been some minor graffiti the previous week, but nothing on this scale. He said there are no plans to close the store and that the business has been well received since opening.
New Brighton Creative Futures, who support creative projects in the area such as murals, denied any involvement in the vandalism. They have previously helped create a mural for local street cleaner Kenny Dunn to celebrate his decade of service.
On social media, they said: This is not work commissioned or supported by New Brighton Creative Futures CIC. All NBCF activity operates under our published Creative Expression Policy, which requires property owner permission, subject consent where relevant, and compliance with planning and heritage regulations."
