I WORK in one of the shops shut due to the spy incident in the Maltings.

For the first week after the incident my boss went to the Maltings every day to find out what’s going on, so she could let her staff know.

It’s taken almost two weeks for the council to hold a meeting and address what’s going on.

As workers we feel ignored, let down and shut out.

Not enough help or advice is being provided for businesses on legal help or compensation and it needs to change.

It shouldn’t take two weeks plus for the situation to be discussed with the public at the town meeting.

Councillors help

Have a nice few weeks of peace,
Chill, relax and stay in bed,
While the fears and anxieties creep in your head,
While men in hazmat suits go through the bin,
Many tests and investigations begin

Why hasn’t the bench been taken away,
So the businesses can open for a fresh new day?
Is my job going to be here to stay,
As footfall drops and whittles away?

Businesses lose thousands a week,
And yet councillors are slow to help or speak,
£20,000 hardship fund set up,
To help business managers get out of a rut.

In reality £20,000 might cover one day,
As many more businesses are affected each day by day,
With shop rent, wages and rates to pay,
Is the council tax going away?

Should we have to pay for the month we are shut?
Come on councillors, tut tut tut.
A lot more help needs to be provided here,
To help the Maltings recover from this awful start to the year.

Don’t forget the little people who are being ignored.
Us... The workers who are desperate to open the doors,
Who search the news, the net and the papers each day for hope,
Trying to find someone to talk to us, but just get told, ‘nope’.

We are here and we matter and we just want to work,
So speak up, help us and stop being such berks.

Name and address supplied

THE LAST WORD?

Salisbury really is in the news,
What did you see?
What are your views?

Speak into this mic, whoever you are,
Say what you like - we’ll soon edit it down before we leave town.

So sad for the shops, closed by the cops,
But they have to take care - just glad we weren’t there!

D Barrett, Laverstock