Uxbridge Road stabbing

Hopgood Street

A man was stabbed in Cafe E-roma on Hopgood Street/Uxbridge Road in the early hours of yesterday with the police throwing up a cordon to investigate and prompting many of you to ask what was going on. I've been asking for info ever since but the police seem unable to provide any, other than to confirm that it was a stabbing.

Clearly actually investigating a crime has to take precedence over dealing with the likes of me but equally when there is a lack of information the problem is that rumours start to swirl. People living nearby are particularly concerned about this latest incident, marking as it does yet another example of why they are worried about the creeping transformation of that part of W12 into a pretty dicey place after dark. It was one of the first stops I made when out with the Police in the Bush one Saturday night.

It's also the reason why Subway bar, just opposite the cafe where the incident took place, had a 24 hour license application turned down just last week. 

Here's what a resident who lives metres away and who wants to remain anonymous told me last night: 

"If you have the time it would be great if you did a small piece on your blog, on the Hopgood St stabbing, the second this year. It is a short street of only 20 houses, but full of families and elderly, but it has a load of problems due to late night “refreshment” outlets on Uxbridge Rd. It has become much worse lately". 

"We are writing to the council and police to reverse the licensing hours as this area has become a small hours destination. The area has become a concentrated spot for late night and early morning hangouts. Drugs, urinating, ASB and the rest. People are getting no sleep".

When I get more information on the stabbing I will add it here. In the meantime if you want to share info with each other do use the comments section as normal. In fairness to the Police they had to make their one press person redundant a few months ago so this sort of info-lag is going to get worse - see, those cuts are real!

I now have a statement from Police with the details:

At 0035 hours on 18th July 2012 a male in his thirties received a stab wound after being chased into Eroma Cafe, Uxbridge Road W12.

His condition is not serious.

There is no evidence to link the cafe with the incident apart from the victim ran into there as a place of safety.

The staff have been very co-operative.

At that time of night, sometimes people do seek sanctuary at late night, well lit establishments.