Ref.10486LATE night hooliganism in the town centre is discouraging tourists from coming to Devizes, say the new managers at one of the town's hotels.

Ben Cox and Heather MacNaughton, who took over the running of the Black Swan Hotel in the Market Place a week ago, have been appalled by the behaviour of young drinkers who roam the streets in the early hours of Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

They say that guests staying with them on Thursday night are unlikely to return when their sleep was disturbed after two of the hotel's front windows were smashed by a group of youths.

Mr Cox, 29, said: "We had American and Australian guests staying here. They have loved everything they have seen in the local area and think Devizes people are very friendly and welcoming.

"But they say they are unlikely to come back after what happened."

The group of five youths were seen walking past the Black Swan shortly after 2am on Friday. A hotel employee happened to be coming along the street at the same time and witnessed one of the gang punching one of the front windows, breaking it with his fist.

Mr Cox said: "She shouted at them that she was going to call the police. In reply, the bloke who had broken the window turned round and punched another window, breaking that one too.

"I come from Rowde originally and I have been away for a while. I have travelled in South Africa and India, where you would expect there to be a certain amount of violence.

"Coming back and finding that this kind of thing goes on in your own home town has been a shock."

Mr Cox and Miss MacNaughton met while they were working together on Sark in the Channel Islands, where violence and vandalism is unknown.

Miss MacNaughton, 30, who comes from Perth, Western Australia, said: "I thought Devizes was a nice place with wonderful people and it is.

"But I've been told that this late night hooliganism is becoming an accepted occurrence and that is a shame."

Mr Cox said it was not just businesses that are being affected.

"Local people are living in fear," he said. "They will not come into the town centre on a Friday or Saturday night for fear of getting assaulted by these people.

"If people want to feel safer in their own town they will have to stand up for their rights."

Hotel proprietor Colin Lugg said: "Ben and Heather have only been here a week so they are seeing things through fresh eyes. We've got used to it. We've let our standards slip.

"Maybe it's about time Devizes people said they have had enough and they're not going to take any more of this."

Two other windows were smashed during the same incident, one at Parnella House and one at Devizes Newsagents in Northgate Street.

It is the third time in two months the newsagents shop has had a window broken during a late-night disturbance. Proprietors Hitesh and Meena Patel are furious that they bear the cost of drunken loutishness.

Mrs Patel said: "The last window that went cost £1,000 to replace and, after all the excess, we only got £150 from the insurance company. I don't think I'll bother claiming for this one.

"We are fed up with this happening all the time. The police do their best but they can't be everywhere at once.

"Why can't the council get their act together and put in CCTV cameras?"

Police investigators collected blood samples from the scene and are having it analysed for DNA evidence.

Officers have issued a description of a youth they wish to interview in relation to the criminal damage. He is white, aged about 17, with short fair hair, about 5ft 10in, of slim build and wearing a light checked long-sleeved shirt and light-coloured trousers.

They have asked anyone who saw the incident or who has any information to contact Devizes police station on (01380) 722141.