Crave Pizza boss says ‘we’re just doing what we can’ as staff praised for helping look after Town Hall tributes

By Sophie Swain

Staff from Crave Pizza on Lord Street have been praised for giving up their time to help with the floral tributes outside The Atkinson in the Town Hall Gardens.

Over the past week, the group have been filling up water buckets every day and helping with flower arranging by providing scissors and bin bags for people who want to pay their respects.

To help preserve the tributes to the three little girls who lost their lives, they have also been giving the teddies, cards and pinboards a home during the bad weather on an evening.

Manager of Crave Pizza and The Pavilion, Paul Dunbavin, said: “We’re just doing what we can to help. There’s more and more tributes every day. It’s nice to see people pay respects and the community come together.”

The shop took part in the minute’s silence last weekend, thinking about all those affected by the tragedy on the 29th of July. Paul said it was an emotional time for the whole community.

He said: “At 8pm we all went to the fountain and had a minute’s silence which was followed by applause. After that Love Story by Taylor Swift played. It was very emotional.”

He thinks a permanent flower garden tribute, just off Lord Street would be nice. Rosie Blackburn and Matt Gregson, owners of Crave and the Pavilion eatery said: “We are so proud of our team, each and every team member has gone above and beyond in supporting the local community during this horrendous and terribly sad time, whilst at the same time, dealing with their own personal feelings as they themselves are all members of the local community.”

Yesterday 500 coloured buckets arrived at Crave to distribute around the town where flowers can be placed in memory. Paul and the team have been volunteering alongside the Lord Street In Bloom Garden Volunteers.

Any helpers are appreciated help to keep up the magnificent display by removing flowers from their packages and releasing the plant food inside.