A gang of reckless vandals have trashed the beer garden of an Edinburgh restaurant which was forced to close during lockdown.
Toby Carvery at Lauriston Farm was targeted between 9.30pm and midnight on Sunday by a group of four people who were caught on CCTV cameras.
A statement from the eatery told how the hoodlums broke garden furniture by tossing it across the courtyard before dumping mountains of empty booze containers.
In a plea for information, the restaurant said: “During such a hard time for closed businesses, it comes with great sadness and disappointment that our beer garden was left in this state.
“Last night between 9.30pm and midnight, a group of fur have been caught on CCTV completely abusing the area, breaking and throwing garden furniture, trying to smash down the smoking shelter, dumping all their trash as well as risking their own safety by climbing on the restaurant roof.
“We would kindly ask the community to share this and help it to reach the people involved before we have to forward the faces to the police (who from CCTV look as if they have visited before).
“Thank you for your support.”
A second business, Mid Yoken Bar and Lounge, was also vandalised overnight however it is not known whether the two incidents are connected.
In a scathing social media post, the bar said: “To all those involved I hope you’re proud of yourselves for the mess that was left outside the pub this weekend including the damage that was done to the new bothy.
“During this pandemic, we have been constantly spending time and money trying to improve your neighbourhood pub to make it a place that people would like to go.
“But there is a small element who is intent on making this very difficult. Well smile as you’re on camera. And we will be handing the CCTV into the police.”
