Staff stay overnight to protect Kirkcaldy LGBT+ hub after youths target building

Staff at the Hive LGBT+ hub on Whytecauseway asked a group of young people to leave the premises after they began to verbally abuse staff and patrons at the hub on Saturday, December 16 – but when they tried to close the shutters, the youths grabbed thems and pulled them off of their runners.

Lindsey Williamson, director of the hub, said staff were acting as they had been instructed by asking the group to leave and by threatening to call the police. She added that a small number of people are ruining it for the majority of people who use the hub.

Lindsey said: “It’s just the anti-social behaviour of a few that is ruining it for so many. We want to be a safe and affirmative place for everybody. For people to come in, we’re a warm space through Fife Council as of this year. We’re just really disappointed that these youths think that they can come in and act like this.”

Lindsey had to spend the night in the premises to ensure that they were kept safe until a locksmith could come and secure the shutters. She was keen to thank both companies who attended the premises to assist.

Lindsey said: “The service that we received from Fife Shutters and also from the locksmith – Gary at GL Lock and Safe Ltd - that we used was absolutely fantastic.”

Securing and then repairing the premises is thought to have caused nearly £300 worth of damage.

Police officers are still to visit the premises following the incident, however Lindsey said that relevant information has been handed to them.

She said: “By grabbing the shutters it was going to do one or two things. Either they could have injured themselves or what has happened, which is the damage to the property. We've got CCTV and we've got pictures of the group, and they have been handed to the police.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Sunday, December 17, we received reports of damage to a premises on Whytescauseway, Kirkcaldy. Enquiries are ongoing.”

The Hive has previously seen acts of vandalism in the past, including homophobic graffiti in October 2022.