One Stop closes in Magpie Hall Road, Chatham, after car crashes into building
A convenience store has been forced to close after a car smashed through the side of the building. The delivery entrance to the One Stop, in Chatham[1], has been boarded up and fencing erected while repairs take place.
The car crashed into the building over the weekend. Picture: Shona Sleath
It had its hazard lights on as crews tried to recover the vehicle. Picture: Shona Sleath
The shop is also a parcel pick-up and drop-off for delivery firm Evri, and scores of customers would be awaiting Christmas gifts. However, it is understood arrangements have been put in place for packages to be sent to other stores for collection, to avoid too much additional hassle for customers.
The emergency services, including police, were called to the crash at around 5.30pm on Saturday (December 16) and arrangements were made to recover the vehicle.
Video footage showing the aftermath captured a silver car with its hazard lights flashing stuck in the side of the building, which is near the junction with Magpie Hall Road and Shipwrights Avenue. No injuries were reported. Following the crash, it became clear the shop would have to close and rather than throw out perishable items, staff donated around GBP1,000 worth of groceries to homeless charity Gillingham Street Angels.
Chief executive Neil Charlick has since thanked the shopkeepers for their “amazing” generosity.
The side of the shop has been boarded up and fenced off
One Stop is closed
He said they filled two van loads of food donated by One Stop, which is a subsidiary of Tesco.
Mr Charlick added: “I love it when people do things like this. We are here to feed people, but we cannot do it without this kind of support, especially at this time of year. “It is an amazing gesture, just a shame it is not in great circumstances.”
Among the groceries handed over were dairy products, bread and ready meals which will be distributed from the charity’s shop in Skinner Street, Gillingham[2], in the run-up to Christmas.
The car crashed into the side of the building
It is thought the mini-market will be closed until New Year and arrangements have been made to redeliver any parcels that were waiting for collection.
One Stop has been contacted for further information.
References
- ^ Chatham (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ Gillingham (www.kentonline.co.uk)