Flat Earth Pizzas launches crowdfund after windows smashed in 'senseless' attack

Flat Earth Pizzas in London’s Hackney has launched a crowdfund after seven of its windows were “senselessly smashed up” in an act of vandalism last week.

At the time of writing, founders Sarah Brading and Rich Baker had raised £2,651 of their £15,000 target, which would go towards installing electric shutters which are “beyond our budget” and making up for hiked insurance premiums.

Brading told The Caterer that this was the third incident of its kind within less than a year of opening, the first two having taken place in September and December 2022. The pair have previously paid to repair the damages themselves.

The most recent attack occurred in the early hours of 8 March and left the restaurant looking like a “bomb site”, according to Brading.

The co-founders wrote on their GoFundMe page: “We invested our savings into this space. We’ve made some big sacrifices that we’d make again. We gave the space a whole new look using eco-friendly paint, repurposed materials and used innovative solutions within the decor. We do the best by our team and, consequentially, are surrounded by a lovely bunch of kind and hard-working people.

“The emotional cost of this traumatic experience can’t ever be compensated for.”

Click here to find out more about Flat Earth Pizzas' crowdfunding campaign.