Obelisk Hotel in Southampton targeted in raid

The front door of the Obelisk Hotel in Woolston was smashed through during an early morning break-in on Monday.

Splinters of wood were strewn about the entrance of the watering hole in Obelisk Road. The glass in a second door was also shattered.

A thief made off with an old gallon bottle of whiskey sat behind the bar which contained around £100 in cash – the money being raised for a local punter and his ill eight-year-old.

Damage to the front door at the Obelisk Hotel.

The donations made by regulars were for the father and daughter to “create memories together”.

Speaking about the incident which happened at around 1am, landlady Sue Pedley said: “It’s sickening.

“It makes you feel sick to your stomach that somebody could do this to such a person with a little girl.”

Sue says she has been at the pub for the last three and a half months and got to know everybody.

According to her partner, Barry Taylor, the incident caused over a thousand pounds worth of damage.

The raid will cost the pub around £1,000 in repairs.

He said he ran downstairs at ‘100mph’ with their pet Rottweiler, Bella, after hearing noises in the bar area.

He added that the thief jumped into a white taxi before fleeing the scene.

Barry described the pub as family-friendly and that: “The principle of it isn’t the money.

“We are deflated more than anything else.

“A bit disappointed with humanity really.”

A second door was also smashed.

He believes the burglary was drug-related and a sledgehammer was used to gain access to the site.

Given the chance to confront the culprit he said he would simply ask “Why would you do that?

“What were you thinking?”

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: “We were called at 1.10am on Monday, 13 September to reports of a burglary on Obelisk Road, Southampton.

“Officers are appealing for anyone with any information about this incident to call 101 quoting 44210367057.”