Worksop: Owner of ‘legal high’ shop forced to close business after ‘abuse’ from public

Speaking in Parliament this week, MP for Bassetlaw John Mann called for the Gateford Road shop, named Bing Bong, to be closed.

But Bing Bong’s owner, who declined to be named, revealed to the Guardian he would be shutting the shop of his own accord as he felt his business had been unfairly ‘demonised’.

Bing Bong came under fire shortly after it opened in April 2014 when 400 packs of psychoactive substances were seized from the shop by Trading Standards. However, tests on the substances were found to be inconclusive.

The owner said: “We have always complied with the police and the law. The packs that were seized by the council are gone and we have since brought in new stock.

“We sell things like e-cigarette liquids, wind chimes and herbal incense and I don’t really understand why the shop has been getting such bad press.

“We have been having difficulty selling our products due to the facts that some people have been coming in and giving my staff abuse as well as putting off customers, so I am respectfully bowing out.

“I can say now that I plan to close the shop in March next year when the lease on it ends.”