Dean and Armelle Hodkinson outside L’Escalier. The Tower Hill restaurant has been targeted by vandals. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0722566)

VANDALS who targeted L’Escalier Restaurant have been labelled cowards by its owner.

Two large windows and the door were smashed at the Town restaurant after proprietor and head chef Dean Hodkinson locked up on Valentine’s Day.

He had been involved in a dispute with a man outside the restaurant in Tower Hill, St Peter Port.

The following morning, he discovered the vandalism. Mr Hodkinson said there had been trouble in the area for some time.

He said customers had been verbally abused arriving at or leaving the restaurant.

‘We had a bottle of champagne [on the night] as it was six years of L’Escalier,’ he said.

‘As we were leaving, the normal trouble was going on outside, which we get used to.

‘I was involved in an incident. I left and the next day the windows had been smashed in.’

• Police confirmed yesterday that two men had been arrested in relation to the incident and they have now been released on bail.

• Anyone with information is requested to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or the police station on 725111.