Generous West Leeds residents have raised more than £1,800 to help two businesses badly damaged when a suspected drink driver ploughed into the shops at Stanningley Bottom.
As reported earlier today, Creating Utopia Tattoo studio and Philip Nicholas Barbers saw their premises badly damaged when an Audi car ploughed into their businesses in the early hours of this morning, following a police chase.
A Pudsey man has since been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, failing to stop and assault of police officers.
But kind-hearted Steven Lightfoot, who runs nearby Pudsey Computers, has launched an crowdfunder to help raise £2,000 to support the stricken businesses. He said:
“Most of Pudsey, Farsley and Staningley have seen the shocking pictures of a car hitting the front of a local Stanningley business. The guys running these businesses have been closed for months and just as they start to open again the business premises have been wrecked by a careless driver.
“I’d like to start a fund to raise money to help these guys get back on their feet as quickly as possible. both local business owners with families to feed and what has happened shouldn’t of, we all know insurances are slow to pay out if insured for this type of incident.”
Engineers have today been making the shops structurally safe. The incident has led to traffic delays in the area for most of the day.
At the time of going to press, £1,820 has been raised.
Crowfunder supporters include Swinnow-based Soph’s Cakes Leeds, who said:
“I cannot even begin to imagine how much this hurt you emotionally as a small business! I hope every donation helps you rebuild more quickly! From one ‘smallie’ to another, good luck! Soph :)”
Another added:
“You really didn’t need this to happen, please accept my small but heart felt token and best wishes.”
The crowdfunder can be found here.