Caddy Shack Weymouth broken into days after reopening

Emma Ayles was devastated to discover her relocated Weymouth business the Caddy Shack had been broken into overnight, just three days after reopening.

A window was forced open, the back door was kicked in and £150 worth of food was stolen. 

The much loved café, formerly based outside Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club in a shipping container, is now inside the clubhouse and celebrated a grand reopening on February 7. 

The break-in is the latest in a long line of setbacks for Emma, who has fought to bring back the business since it was forced to close on December 11 following Monmouth Avenue neighbours' complaints about the 'smell of bacon' and 'sound of tea cups and tea spoons'. 
 

Thousands of people signed a petition to save the the pop-up café, which was shut down after losing a planning appeal over Dorset Council’s decision against allowing the business to continue.

The break-in is said to have taken place overnight between Saturday, February 10 and Sunday, February 11. It was reported that kitchen utensils and food items were 'possibly' taken.

Emma said: "I went to open up on Sunday morning, it being one of our busiest days due to the children's rugby tournament being held at the club.

"I noticed a massive hole in the kitchen ceiling and thought that something wasn't quite right.

"We then saw that the window was forced open and the back door was kicked in, which is when we notified the rugby club, who called the police."

Emma said that the thieves left the bar alone, but made off with £150 worth of frozen food including scampi, burgers and chicken nuggets, as well as cans of soft drinks.

It is believed that those responsible broke in through the changing room door at the clubhouse before climbing through a hole made in the ceiling. It is then reported that they broke into the kitchen through the ceiling. 

The café was then closed for two days and her staff had to go without pay due to the break in.

Anthony Goss, chairman of Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club, called the incident 'mindless.'

He said: "For us as a local club who are run by, and rely on the goodwill of volunteers, to sustain this kind of damage is disappointing and difficult for us.

Mr Goss went on to say that, although they have not ran a full costing for the damage, it is expected to be in the region of £5,000 to £10,000. 

He said: "We managed to tidy up as best we can in the interim period whilst we wait for the go ahead to carry out repairs."

Mr Goss added that the police have been helpful in this matter and that the club has managed to remain operational, despite some restrictions being put in place around the clubhouse. 

He added that CCTV of the incident showed that it 'went on for hours.' 

Since reopening, Emma said that the reaction from locals has been 'absolutely brilliant.'

She said: "Everyone is so happy, a lot of my old regulars have popped in and it's been really nice."

In April 2022 Emma relocated her business from Wessex Golf Centre to Weymouth and Portland Rugby Club.

The former cleaner first launched it as a lunch wagon at the pitch-and-put club, in Radipole Lane, in March 2021 following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

Her husband Jon, an HGV mechanic for Dorset Council, built the shack from scratch using an old shipping container.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said the break-in at the rugby clubhouse is said to have taken place 'overnight' between Saturday, February 10 and Sunday February 11.

They went on to add that food items and kitchen utensils were 'possibly' taken.

The spokesperson also said that no arrests have been made, with the investigation still ongoing.