Belford is a sleepy picture postcard village, about halfway between Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed and a few miles inland from the majestic Northumberland coastline. Its ancient highstreet is dominated by a market square and cross which still hosts monthly markets for locals to peddle their wares. Traditional hotels and pubs cater to locals and many visitors. Belford is often described as an ideal base for those wishing to explore the rich history of the area, to fish, to play golf, to walk or simply to relax soaking up the beautiful landscapes ranging from sandy beaches through wild moorland to the splendour of the Cheviots.
When the Spar shop closed in 2006 it was bought by the village and turned into a Community Shop. Run completely by volunteers Belford Community Shop raises money to pay grants to other local organisations and run a gym.
Last month the tight knit community was rocked when the shop was broken into. A considerable sum was taken, the safe broken into, charity boxes stolen along with a good deal of damage to the premises. Despite the police being made aware the same day, to date no officer has been out to visit the shop or investigate.
Local councillor and Conservative candidate for North East Mayor Guy Renner-Thompson has written to his Labour rival and current Police and Crime Commissioner Kim Mcguinnes demanding Northumbria Police open a full and proper investigation into the Belford Community Shop burglary and apologise for the lack of action so far. He said "We're once month after the burglary and still nobody has been the scene of this terrible crime. It's not the fault of the local community police who do a great work but its an organisational failure that nobody has been asked to attend the shop. A similar incident in Coggeshall in Essex had police officers attend and investigate. Essex Police has 192 police officers per 100,000 people. Northumbria Police has 247 police offers per 100,000 people, the 8th highest police officer to population ratio in the Country. Why should we receive a lesser service in Northumberland than Essex when Northumbria has more cops."
SOURCES:
Essex break in - St Helena Hospice: Hundreds of pounds stolen from Coggeshall shop - BBC News
Police per 100,000 population - https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00634/SN00634.pdf
