Graffiti attacks continue at pub earmarked for HMO

DESPITE calls for restraint, further graffiti attacks have been carried out at a former village pub in Glazebury, Warrington, earmarked for conversion into a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

Following the initial vandal attacks, attempts were made to tidy up the appearance of the Grey Horse pub on Warrington Road.

But vandals returned overnight, daubing the building with anti-HMO messages.
It follows concerns from local residents about ongoing works to convert the upstairs of the Grey Horse pub into a HMO.

As reported by Warrington-Worldwide earlier, local Cllr Neil Johnson had called for restraint, saying: “The current situation with The Grey Horse is causing understandable anxiety throughout Glazebury.
“I am working with the Borough Council to ensure that all planning regulations are adhered to. The current situation is that the Council has informed the owner that they would require a change of use application if the upstairs was to be converted into a HMO. Currently, no change of use application has been submitted.
“I will strongly support all residents who oppose the concept of a HMO at The Grey Horse.
“However, I would urge everyone to exercise restraint. Vandalism and criminal damage is not the answer. If anything, this plays into the applicant’s hands. Our community is better than this. We do not need to respond to unwanted or unwelcome proposals with criminal behaviour. As we have shown recently with the CPS Centre application, we can defeat these kind of inappropriate proposals by making our voices heard and through the power of argument.”
But his remarks have fallen on deaf ears, with the vandals taking the graffiti to a new level last night.