Venue double break-in 'undid months of hard work'
Jonathan DrydenA family business says it is devastated after two break-ins in just over a week.
Hospitality business Blacks Corner said its tram shelter venue in Seaburn, Sunderland, was targeted on Wednesday night, while its site in East Boldon was ransacked on 9 December.
Operations director Jonathan Dryden said: "To have someone come in and within the space of 10 minutes undo months of hard work is very devastating."
Northumbria Police said officers were investigating both reports and appealed for anyone with information to contact the force.
Blacks Corner, which has been operating for more than eight years, employs around 60 people across its sites.
Speaking about the East Boldon break-in, which occurred at about 02:00 GMT, Mr Dryden said: "The front door was smashed through, and then the bar and kitchen was ransacked.
"And when I say ransacked, all the cupboards emptied, everything all over the floor."
'Your safe is in the park'
Mr Dryden said the criminals had removed the safe and dragged it to a nearby park before they somehow got it open and took the cash.
"This is how I actually found out," he said.
"I had neighbours messaging me saying, 'Jonny, I think your safe is in the park'."
He said he had run around the park early in the morning with police, trying to gather up the licences and documents that were left behind.
Mr Dryden said criminals then targeted their Grade II listed tram shelter turned restaurant at about 01:30 GMT on Thursday morning.
Northumbria Police said two offenders had broken through the front door and stole a till drawer and a "quantity of alcohol before leaving the scene in a vehicle".
Mr Dryden said: "I do understand people can be desperate, but it's quite hard to comprehend how they don't see how they're affecting people.
"We're all in the North East, we're all in a community, and its people's livelihoods at the hardest point of the year."
The supportive response from customers and their business partners had "brought real comfort", Mr Dryden said.
"Almost our entire staff team turned up to help clear glass and shards and smashed shelves, smashed windows," he said.
He estimated about £10,000 worth of damage had been done.
