I feel I have to respond to your story about the vandal(s) who smashed the small window of Turnbull's café and delicatessen at The Horse.
I feel really sorry for proprietor Ross Irvine, and have to agree with him that this vandalism will certainly make other potential investors in the area ask themselves: "Is it worth it?"
I read that a 15-year-old has been charged with vandalism an
d a report will be sent to the children's reporter. I mean to say, a 15-year-old! Does this youngster's parents know what he or she has allegedly done? In my opinion, the child and his or her parents should be fined heavily, be made to pay for all the damage caused and also pay compensation to Mr Irvine. If this was done, it may help to stop some of the vandalism in Hawick.
It would possibly only take one or two examples of heavy fines and damage having to be paid for in full by the perpetrators to stop it happening. Of course, nowadays, the authorities will claim that the law prevents them from taking such a course of action. With the result being that the vandalism will continue.
When I was a teenager, I was always told by my parents that "if it wasn't mine, I was not to touch".
Sadly, this does not appear to be the case today as so many people have absolutely no respect for other people's property.
