We live on iconic road made famous by the Beatles but it’s being ruined by stabbings & firebombs… no one will help us
RESIDENTS who live nearby the famed Beatles crossing have revealed they’re living in terror – with the iconic area targeted by fire-bombing criminals and plagued with noise.
Abbey Road will forever be synonymous with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, and their eleventh studio album cover.
But many locals feel the area has gone downhill after Monak, a popular pan-Asian and sushi venue in St John’s Wood, was set on fire and attacked by gangs.
Six armed men, said to be wearing balaclavas, fled the scene after reportedly threatening staff with large knives and launching Molotov cocktails into the building.
Shots were said to have been fired at the restaurant last May, but no one was injured.
There have been 999 crimes reported in Abbey Road in the last 12 months, according to data released by the Met Police.
More than 400 were incidents of violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour.
Criminal damage and arson accounted for 4.6 per cent of all crimes in the area between June 2022 and May 2023.
Two males – 17 and 41 – were also stabbed at an Esso petrol station in Abbey Road just two days ago and rushed to hospital.
Robin Stewart, a retired chartered accountant who has lived in his property since 2006, said: “No one is pleased about this happening, me included.
“There is the usual type of people hanging around. They’ve got these big, expensive racing cars and they show off to their girlfriends running around the area.
“That’s not appreciated because they roar up and make a huge noise.
“I’m not running away, but it is depreciating the area in the sense that it is lowering the standards.
“We don’t need to have shootings on the corner. It doesn’t help our image at all.”
Almost 200 families and businesses have now backed a petition calling for the restaurant to lose its licence.
Deana Atkin, head porter at Neville Court, described how the firebombing has impacted the reputation of the area.
The 59-year-old, who has worked opposite Abbey Road Studios for 14 years, said: “We used to go to the Salt House for our Sunday lunch, but then it got taken over.
“You get all the fast cars, such as big Ferrari’s, coming out. I’ve spoken to a few people who are planning on selling their houses in the street.
“When you think of Abbey Road – it’s prestigious. This is a right shocker this one. It was always nice going along here.
“I’ve got residents who have lived here for 30 years and they’ve never seen anything like it.”
Mother-of-two Sara Soloman, 41, said: “I felt uncomfortable finding out what had actually happened considering I have two young kids.
“We used to live here when that was the Salt House and we never had any problems with it being a pub.
“Hearing a few years ago there was a shootout, it’s not very pleasant and we didn’t like that at all.”
Another neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “We heard shots, loud screams and breaking glass. I’m scared to live here now.
“There’s always a really horrible crowd all the way down the road.
“We can hear loud music and it’s disturbing. It’s really unsafe because they are drinking on the side of the road.”
Simone Cusano, 32, who is married to Angela and originally from Italy, said: “This is the first time I have seen anything like that in this area. It was strange to see this in such an area.
“When I heard what happened with broken glass and a firebomb I was shocked. I thought the area was not like I was originally thinking.”
Analyst Nitanshu Nayak, 33, said: “I was scared and it was terrifying to know a fire inside that building could spread to any house in the neighbourhood.”
The Sun has contacted the Met Police for comment.