Battling against graffiti daubers

11:24am Monday 25th August 2008

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SHOPKEEPER Shaun Samways is tackling the graffiti menace that spoils an arcade in Dorchester - but fears he faces a losing battle.

Mr Samways, a tenant of two shops in Hardye Arcade with his pet and garden supplies businesses, said he was fed up with the sight of graffiti on a wall nearby.

He said he tried to mask some of it by putting pots of plants in front during shop opening hours.

Now he is planning to obliterate the graffiti by painting over the area and plans to monitor what happens afterwards.

Mr Samways said: "This area is on the side wall between my Potting Shed shop and Country Casuals next door.

"I try to hide the graffiti with stock but you can't obscure it. It's too big.

"The trouble is that it's just like a blank canvas for the graffiti artists.

"They can't resist it. But I'm going to paint it over and then keep a log of what happens. I expect there'll be graffiti there again the next day."

He said graffiti appeared 48 hours after a previous clean-up.

Mr Samways said: "It's only a small number of people who do this but it shows a total lack of respect for other people's property.

"I'd like to see people who are put on community orders doing this sort of work as their contribution to the community.

"I'm trying to run a business here and I don't have much time for this sort of thing."

He added: "I'm happy with the location and if the Charles Street development ever gets built then it's going to be an important link to the rest of the town centre. It's got a lot of potential but nobody wants to see graffiti like this."

PCSO Mark Wodarek-Black welcomed Mr Samways's action.

He said: "There's no doubt that vandals add to graffiti and damage if it isn't dealt with. The hope is that by cleaning up this area people will respect it and leave it alone.

"Graffiti is unsightly and nobody wants to see it."