Blue Lagoon in Hilsea restored to former glory after "senseless" vandals set off fires inside building

Deviants broke into the Blue Lagoon in London Road, Hilsea, after smashing the windows. Police said the incident took place between 2pm and 3pm on August 30.

Pictures show paint spilt all over the floor, piles of ash and burnt patches on the carpet and genitals drawn on the projector board. Councillors Russell Simpson, of Hilsea ward, was left disgusted by what he saw.

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He told The News: “When I saw the damage at the Blue Lagoon, I was incredibly disappointed. It's obvious that whoever did the damage were bored as it was senseless criminal damage.

"The graffiti was very derogatory and made remarks towards the police. Three fires had been created on the old wool carpet and emulsion paint was poured across the dance floor.”

Cllr Simpson, of the Portsmouth Independent Party, said CCTV cameras now cover the entire building and local resident patrols have “been keeping an eye on the building.” The politician and a University of Portsmouth lecturer, Riyadh Haque, couldn’t bare to see the building remain in its damaged state and set about cleaning it.

Cllr Simpson said they began clearing the emulsion paint off the dance floor, as it had seeped into the polish and couldn’t be cleaned with just soapy water. The pair spent over 15 hours scraping the paint away, then finishing it with a buffer which Natural Choice Wood Floors in Drayton provided them with.

“The carpets were burnt beyond repair so we replaced them with pieces from under the stage, which is barely moved out,” Cllr Simpson said. “The walls were repainted to cover all the profanities.

"It took us around 30 hours during the evenings and weekends to complete the restoration.” The councillor said all the hard work has paid off.

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A police spokeswoman said an investigation into the burglary is ongoing. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) spokesman said firefighters were alerted “to a sounding alarm and a smell of burning” at the premises.

"There was light smoke logging throughout the building caused by burnt paper which was extinguished prior to the arrival,” he added.

“The incident was handed over before crews returned to station.” Anyone with information about the incident is advised to call 101, quoting 44230351606.