Earl's Deli & Bar: Vandalized, But Not Defeated

0:00On March 3rd, a popular deli and bar in Bolton called Earls had its windows smashed by a masked man on an electric bike. The attack happened late on Sunday night March 1st, while the place was closed. Open last December by friends Johnny Eckersley and Andy Partington on Chorley Old Road, its earned rave reviews for coffee, pastries, and evening. Drinks. CCTV footage shows the guy in dark clothes, a balaclava, gloves, and a backpack with cartoon heroes. He rode up, chucked rocks to break two windows, came back minutes later for two more, then sped off doing a wheelie. No theft, just damage, and no other spots nearby were hidden. The owners are stunned, but suspected someone they know with a grudge, though they've had zero issues in 18 months and never banned anyone. Police arrived fast, but said the bike and outfit offered no real leads. Luckily, nobody was inside or hurt. The community response has been huge, with tons of supportive messages on social media and offers to help with repairs.

1:01Windows gear replaced later this week, and folks have even offered cash, but the team just wants customers through the door. This won't shut Earls down, in fact it's fired them up to keep going strong in their family friendly neighborhood. Come grab a brew or pint and show your support.