A SHOPKEEPER beaten up by a member of a teenage gang he says have been terrorising his shopping precinct has called on police to do more.

Harish Modhvadiya, who runs Premier food shop in Grove with wife Shantiben, says if the situation does not improve he will have to close.

The gang of up to 20 youths have been gathering in the car park at Grovelands Shopping Centre night after night for months, intimidating shoppers, using foul language and drinking, he claimed.

On Monday night, a group of up to 15 came into his shop, Mr Modhvadiya said, at about 8pm and starting throwing chocolate bars on the floor.

He managed to usher them all out, but a tall youth came in, said ‘why did you just throw our friends out?’ and starting punching him in the head.

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Mr Modhvadiya, 31, who lives with his wife and 19-month-old son Naksh, said: “I kept saying, ‘please, please, please leave the shop’.

“I sent everyone out, but this one big lad walked in and started punching me.

“I was really scared. I grabbed a little stick and started waving at them, then I fell on the floor and I couldn’t see anything.”

He was left with black eyes and bruises over his face. A woman who saw the attack called an ambulance and he was treated by paramedics at the scene.

He said the police arrested the youth that night, but he wants them to do more.

“They are all under 18, and they’re always harassing other customers, trying to get them to buy alcohol and cigarettes.

“They are really destructive, drinking alcohol, smoking and taking drugs. You can’t believe what they’re doing.”

He said when they first opened the shop in August 2013 neighbourhood police patrolled the area but now he never sees them. Two weeks ago, he said, youths stole 15 cans of Carling and last Saturday smashed the glass panel in his door by kicking it.

He said: “I really fear for my business. If it happens again I might have to close.”

Bryan Ritchie, who has run Betfred bookmakers on the row for 26 years, said: “The police need to get off their backsides and patrol the area.

“It’s been going on for months; kids loitering, intimidating customers. That poor bloke is a nice chap. It is disgusting. The police are paid to deal with this. If they came round here just once a night for five minutes it would stop the problems immediately.”

The precinct is owned by Midcounties Co-operative, and one shopkeeper, who did not want to be named, asked why the Co-op did not have external CCTV.

Spokeswoman Jessica Smith said: “We have noted the concerns raised by Mr Modhvadiy and plan to review security measures with our tenants.”

Thames Valley Police said a 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assault and released on bail, but declined to comment further.

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