Havering’s Christmas community pop up shop opens

Council staff and partners were joined by the Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Safety, Councillor Viddy Persaud and the Mayor of Havering, Councillor Dilip Patel to launch the pop-up shop at The Brewery.

Situated in the old JD Sports store, the one-stop shop for safety will be open Monday to Friday, until 21 December, between 11.30am to 2pm, and will be providing advice and information on how residents can keep themselves safe over the festive season.

The space has been provided free of charge by The Brewery and is being supported by the Safer Neighbourhood Board.

Among those taking part are London Fire Brigade, Havering Borough Police, Havering’s community safety team, Safer Transport, the road safety team, Victim Support, Westminster Drug Project, as well as many others.

Councillor Viddy Persaud, said:

“Christmas is a great time of the year, but it’s also a time when we let our guard down a little. We want people to have fun, but also to think about their own and others’ safety. There are lots of tips and advice available to help residents at home and while out and about.”

Tom Stobbart, Centre Manager for The Brewery, said:

“We love to support anything that the community safety team does, as they do so much for us throughout the year in helping to keep the town centre safe. The shop is located in a prime position to reach the thousands of people passing through Romford each day.”

Tips include:

• Don’t tempt the burglars – make sure that Christmas gifts are not in view from the outside
• If you are shopping, ensure your valuables are out of sight – the most common item stolen is a mobile phone so put it in your bag if you can’t close your pocket
• Don’t use social media to tell people your movements, especially if you are travelling at night
• If you’re drinking, leave your car at home and make arrangements to get home safely

Find out more about staying safe this winter on our Community and safety webpage.