News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A council smashed a bin lorry into the back of a restaurant - then closes it down for a health and safety breach linked to the incident.

Service at Yr Wylan restaurant in Porthmadog came to an abrupt halt last Friday when a Gwynedd Council bin lorry ploughed into the back of the restaurant.

Claire and Justin Roberts, who live in the flat above the restaurant with their teenage children, have run the eaterie in Porthmadog for 13 years.

They say they have spent six of those years complaining to Gwynedd Council about cars parking illegally behind their business.

(Image: Daily Post WS)

Despite being told that a structural engineer would assess the damage on Friday, Mr and Mrs Roberts were told no one would visit until Friday January 27th, reports Daily Post .

The pair have now been closed down by an Environmental Health Inspector after they were unable to provide documentation stating the building is safe for the public to enter.

Mrs Roberts said: “We’re in a very stressful situation and it doesn’t seem like anyone wants to help.

“We’ve been complaining for more than six years to Gwynedd Council about people illegally parking behind the building but they’ve ignored us.

“We’ve sent them hundreds of e-mails but they’ve all gone unanswered.

“Because of these cars their lorry was unable to get passed and it crashed into our wall.

“So Gwynedd Council ignored our complaints, Gwynedd Council crashed into our home and business and Gwynedd Council have now shut us down.

“If they had acknowledged our concerns then this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

(Image: Daily Post WS)

The couple received a Prohibition Notice under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 when the inspector visited their property yesterday afternoon.

Mrs Roberts added: “It’s a farce really, there seems to be no point of contact for us.

“We’re now losing out on business because the council haven’t sent out a structural engineer to solve a problem that they caused in the first place.”

They are also unsure whether their flat is structurally safe but say they have no choice but to stay there.

The pair are now calling for Gwynedd Council to do something about the parking problem.

Councillor Jason Humphreys who represents Porthmadog’s east ward wants smaller vehicles to be used to collect waste down the narrower streets in the town.

He said: “Parking is a horrendous issue in Porthmadog, but Smith Street is probably the most serious.

“We have seen a building being damaged here in an incident involving a council waste collection vehicle and a parked car.

“I’ve spoken to the owners of the building, but will need to get the official view of the council before drawing any firm conclusions.

“There are regular complaints about parking in and around Smith Street.

“Buildings can be repaired but I am far more concerned about the risk to life.

“Some of the shop back-entrances open directly onto the road and one can see how a lorry clipping a building under similar circumstances could whack a person leaving such an entrance.

“Badly parked cars are also causing mayhem in and around the Madog Street entrance and this could quite conceivably lead to other incidents.”

Following a meeting with Gwynedd’s waste management department, Cllr Humphries says he will be pressing the idea of smaller waste vehicles even further.

While Mr and Mrs Roberts said they were told no one would visit until January 27th, the council now says an engineer will visit them tomorrow.

A Gwynedd Council spokesman said: “The matter is the hands of the council’s insurers, a loss adjuster attended on Friday (20th) and matters are being progressed.

"The insurers have confirmed that a structural engineer will visit the site tomorrow morning.”