The owner closes three restaurants in the Columbia Mall in the middle of afraid of crime

(WBFF) – A wave of restaurant closings in the shopping center in Columbia has triggered a debate about public security and the livelihood of the public. Desmond Reilly, a partner of the Star Restaurant Group, has decided to close three restaurants – Bennies Pizza, the Walross -Oyster and Ale House as well as chicken and whiskey – such as security concerns as the main factor.

“In 2018 we quickly opened Walrus in Columbia and for seven years for seven years, and it has become another place,” said Reilly of the Baltimore Sun. He added: “In the past two and a half years we have seen a dramatic, steep downfall in our sales, and our audience shrinks year of the year and the problems that are public security and public confidence in the shopping center in Columbia.”

Read also | The Columbia Mall receives police patrols around the clock after the shootings. Buyer divided on a security plan

The buyers of the shopping center expressed mixed reactions to the closures. James Jordan, a shopping center, said: “I don't think he should have closed his restaurants. I mean because they brought many people, many people like these restaurants.” In the meantime, Betty Jordan said: “I think that was the best he could have done. To be honest, I'm not angry at all. Great restaurants, a great place to eat, but you have to take care of your safety today, and that is the sad part. We can't even enjoy how we did it every day during the day.”

An explanation that was published on Monday by Brookfield Properties, which was published by Management Company from the shopping center, may be due to Reilly's reaction to acidic negotiations on his rental agreement.

Lindsay Kahn, a spokesman for the company, partly said: “While our policy is not publicly discussing the details of tenant lease contracts, it is unhappy and misleading that you have taken this position after several months of negotiations to determine a way forward.”

FOX45 News turned to Reilly in relation to the explanation. He did not respond to inquiries about comments.

In the meantime, the shopping center in Columbia was several shootings last year, including a double shootout in February, where one teenager and another wounded, and a murder on the food court last July. In response to this, the police from Howard County implemented a public security plan that includes a dedicated patrol beat and a full-time suburb in the shopping center.