Builders have been spotted working inside a beleaguered Bitterne Park convenience shop which has been boarded shut since a suspected ram raid attempt in January 2024.
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A white van was originally seen ploughing into Jupider, on St Catherine’s Road, in the early hours of January 5, 2024.
Police said at the time that people trying to gain access to the shop had not been successful.
After suspected ram raid, January 2024
The incident wrecked at least the front of the shop, including shutters, awning and brickwork, and it was closed off shortly afterwards.
The boarding was tagged by graffiti ‘artists’ just days later.
Car crashes into Jupider in March 2025
The shop then suffered a further setback this March when a Ford Mondeo smashed into the front following a collision with a second vehicle, at a location that has seen frequent crashes over the years.
At the time the shop’s landlord said an operator for the shop was waiting to take over once the insurance from the first incident had been resolved.
Repairs appear to be underway at the weekend (June 21, 2025)
Now it looks as if some work is finally taking place inside the store, with materials dropped off outside this week, and builders seen inside through an entrance in the boarding.
It’s not yet known when the shop might reopen.