Pennfields Plaice, Wolverhampton was targeted by thugs on New Years Eve. Prince Hussain the owner talks about the incident and the support he's had from the community.

Express & Star

Transcript

00:00Okay then Prince, so you're the owner of Penfield's Plate here, just explain what happened and...

00:06Basically it was New Year's Eve at one in the morning, I was making a cup of tea and

00:11I heard some light banging and I thought it was some of the neighbours, like some trouble

00:15happened around the corner, but by the time I quickly ran downstairs, within literally

00:2045 seconds, I heard the barrage and knew it was closer, so by the time I came in to switch

00:26on, they ran off basically down Duke Street and yeah, unfortunately they've done like

00:31all this damage and...

00:32Unbelievable.

00:33Yeah, it's crappy but the nice thing is how the community and like support I've got honestly

00:38from friends and family has been stunning. I've had like, someone sent me a GoFundMe

00:43page, there's a charity event on on the 2nd of February, I believe at the YMCA as well,

00:48and all the support and stuff, I've had like little kiddies make me like little letters

00:51to say like thank you and...

00:52That's brilliant isn't it, it is incredible how people come together you know when something

00:55like this happens and show what they think of you in the area.

00:57That's why I said it's like a silver lining to these things because yeah it's crappy but

01:00honestly by the grace of God like I can't, I can't say how grateful I am, you know what

01:04I mean, to like...

01:05Yeah, yeah.

01:06How everybody like, you know like, it's just like even words of encouragement, you know

01:09what I mean, saying you know...

01:10Absolutely.

01:11Happy on Princeton, you know what I mean...

01:12Yeah.

01:13And you know what, honestly by the grace of God like I am truly lucky so I just want to

01:15say thank you to everybody, this is like, it really is special, our people have come

01:19together and as I said you know through GoFundMe or the upcoming charity event...

01:25Yeah.

01:26The fundraiser should I call it and yeah, by the grace of God I am quite lucky so just

01:29thank you guys for...

01:30Yeah.

01:31All the support and you know, all being well, the only way is up now.

01:35Fantastic, fantastic.

01:36When it did happen you said they brought their own bricks, didn't you?

01:39Yeah, basically...

01:40And it was like a...

01:41Almost like a frenzy that's that really.

01:42Because they parked up on Duke Street which is just over yonder, they came through, about

01:47three of them and they started pelting the shop so they brought their own bricks as well.

01:50Yeah.

01:51So by the time I came down and put the light on, unfortunately the horrible people, they

01:54ran off like you know what I mean...

01:56Absolutely.

01:57And the camera didn't pick up much, even my neighbour's cameras didn't.

01:58Yeah.

01:59So yeah, it's a bit crappy because then the police then dropped it after like about eight

02:03odd hours saying they couldn't really do much.

02:05Right.

02:06I've done a bit of canvassing myself, knocking doors to find out...

02:08Yeah, yeah.

02:09If it's all...

02:10You've got no idea whatsoever...

02:11No, but all being well, I've got, I'm going to be popping around Coleridge Road sites because

02:15I presume they would have exited there.

02:16Yeah.

02:17Because going down Duke Street, Eagle Street, popular Riley Crescent...

02:20Yeah.

02:21There's only one way you can come out.

02:22Yeah.

02:23So I'm going to do a bit more myself because, you know, I've got some local people that

02:27work at the council as well that have said that they're going to help look into it with

02:31the police as well because being a bit of a, you know, a targeted one unfortunately, they

02:35want to basically see if they can do something a bit more about it.

02:38Yeah.

02:39What would you like to say to the people who've done this, to the shop?

02:42Oh, as in to do the bricks?

02:44Yeah, yeah, yeah.

02:45Generally, I don't...

02:46I want to know why because...

02:47Yeah.

02:48By the grace of God, I've been here nearly 20 years now and I always say I'm one of the

02:51lucky ones that 99.9% of my customers are amazing and, you know, we have a good crack

02:56and a little bit of banter and, you know, be a part of the community.

03:00So I just don't understand why you'd do such a mindless attack.

03:02Yeah.

03:03But, you know, hopefully like, you know, some common sense gets spread around this year.

03:06Absolutely.

03:07You know what I mean with them lot?

03:08Yeah.

03:09But, yeah, it's just a shame really to be honest with you.

03:10It is.

03:11You've got people like that.

03:12I mean, they're New Year's Eve.

03:13They want to ruin everyone else's...

03:14That's right.

03:15That's right.

03:16You know what I mean?

03:17But we soldier on.

03:18That's the only thing.

03:19You know what I mean?

03:20Yeah.

03:21And going back to the community, they've set up a fundraising event for you.

03:23Is that right?

03:24Oh, yeah.

03:25Absolutely.

03:26So I've had one, the GoFundMe one that's been set up.

03:29You know, by the grace of God, that's really lovely.

03:32Absolutely.

03:33And I've got a fundraiser happening on the 2nd of February.

03:39Some lovely ladies have organised it.

03:41One that works at the YMCA.

03:43Yeah.

03:44She's organised it.

03:45I've got all these people that are making cakes, curries, selling clothes.

03:50It's amazing, isn't it, really?

03:52I'm honestly flabbergasted and gobsmacked about how people...

03:55Like, I know it happens.

03:57But you know when it happens to you, like, with that support and stuff,

03:59it really is special and makes you realise, like, you know,

04:02community is important and, like, all the way people come together,

04:06it shows you that even though crap things happen,

04:09there's more than a silver lining.

04:10The unity and stuff, it overcomes it.

04:12It makes it better.

04:13And, like, this is why, like, I know I'm smiling now.

04:16It is crappy, but I've had, like, people, like, you know, like,

04:20show me so much love and support.

04:21I can't do anything else.

04:22You know what I mean?

04:23So genuinely, like, it is special.

04:25So thank you, guys.

04:26Well, good luck and all the best.

04:28I really appreciate it, brother.

04:29And I thank you as well.

04:30You know what I mean?

04:31Respect, brother.

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