A DRAMATIC car crash into a Chinese takeaway which has forced neighbouring shops to close has put the future in doubt for all of them.
The driver of the car reportedly lost control in the car park of Kingsley Road Shops in Bicester and crashed into the building on Friday afternoon.
The Chinese takeaway was destroyed, but the building is also home to a laundrette, hairdressers, fish and chip shop and Co-operative store.
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Crews from Bicester Fire Station and South Central Ambulance Service raced to the shocking scene at about 3pm on Friday.
No one was hurt or arrested and police put a cordon around the building, but there is no further police investigation into the incident.
Daniel Bright, who owns Bright Laundrettes, did not find out about the crash until Friday night.
He said: “Staff aren’t in the shop until 5pm at the moment because of the lockdown, so no one was there when the crash happened.
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“Our cleaner was walking his dog afterwards and saw it. It’s a bit of a nightmare, but we hope to get the building repaired and open again as soon as possible.”
An officer from Cherwell District Council’s building control team attended the site on Friday and Tuesday.
A spokesperson said: “They declared the building unsafe and ordered it to be evacuated on Friday. The officer also took steps to disconnect the utilities.
“The building has been cordoned off with Heras fencing. All food has had to be removed from the food establishments.
“It will now be for the insurance company to decide what happens next to the building.”
Because the building is home to different businesses, numerous insurance companies are involved.
Mr Bright added: “The council said we can enter the building from the rear but not for trading. We are all liaising with our insurance companies.”
He is still offering a delivery and collection service using his other laundrettes in Oxfordshire and customers can call 07590 691507 for more information.
A spokesperson for the Co-op said: “Safety is our number one priority and our store remains closed while structural works are undertaken.
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“We are currently in conversation with our landlord, and it is too early to confirm when the store will be able to re-open.”
It has not yet been confirmed whether the residents who live in the flats above have all been rehoused.
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