Maltby pub landlady in plea for more police following a year of attacks

Beth Burns described how gangs of teenagers could be seen hanging around on streets surrounding the Queens Hotel - intimidating passers-by with abusive behaviour.

In some cases thuggish behaviour had escalated to throwing snowballs at passing cars and even bricks at buses.

In the summer - about three weeks before the end of the first lockdown - the pub’s male toilets were gutted by a fire which started in the outdoor smoking area.

The blaze spread through the structure’s roof and into the pub dining area - causing serious smoke damage.

Pub manager Beth, 33, says overall the fire caused damage at a cost of around £400,000.

Police have since arrested two boys aged 15 and 16 in connection with the incident.

However throughout the rest of the year problems continued - with regular incidents of vandalism and theft.

In October, just as the pub was preparing to close again as another lockdown loomed, three 15 sq ft, triple-glazed windows were smashed by a thief who made off with bottles from the bar.

Then in November three external security cameras were stolen and in the latest attack last weekend a fire was started in the pub’s bin sheds.

Luckily Beth, alerted by an alarm, arrived at the scene in time to douse the flames before the blaze got out of hand.

Though police are investigating the attacks Beth says more patrol officers are needed to tackle antisocial behaviour in Maltby.

She said: “You can see groups of 14 to 16-year-olds hanging around every night - obviously, the pub’s insured but that’s not really the point.

“These things always seem to happen between 7pm and 10pm and it’s not nice to see these groups of youths hanging around.

“I drove past the other night and there were six or seven of them hanging around the pub doorway - that can be quite intimidating for some people.”

Fed-up Beth told how she had worked at various Wetherspoons over the years but “never in an area with an ASB problem as bad as this”.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Martin Simcock said officers were aware of concerns from the local community around antisocial behaviour (ASB) and understood “how upsetting this kind of crime can be” for those who live in the area.

He said: “Tackling ASB and crime in Maltby is a priority for our Rotherham South Neighbourhood Policing Team.

“We have increased our patrols in the area and have made a number of interventions with people responsible for crime and ASB – this work is ongoing and is a key feature for the team.”

Insp Simrock said officers were working with youth services and a meeting was planned to address problems in Maltby.

He said: “We value the support and contribution from local residents in the area – their information helps us to build up an accurate picture of the issues so we can act accordingly.”

To report further problems phone 101 or report online via the SYP website.

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