THE owner of a new pizza place in Worcester has said it wasn't his fault that the opening event descended into 'havoc' and police had to shut the road.
Fireaway Pizza in Worcester opened on August 29 on Angel Street in Worcester but the opening event descended into chaos with police forced to shut the road due to a build-up of long queues and people in the area.
Police described the event - which had a free pizza giveaway and smoke grenades set off in the road - as 'unplanned.'
Officers moved to shut the road on the basis of safety concerns as the road became crowded with people. No prior road closure for the event had been organised.
READ MORE: WATCH Fireaway pizza causes long queues on Angel Street in Worcester
Ahead of the opening, Fireaway Pizza Worcester promised the first 100 diners a free pizza on its opening day and a £500 giveaway to one lucky winner.
Harry Singh, the owner, also gave away free pizza to homeless and vulnerable people.
READ MORE: Police close Angel Street as long queues form at Fireaway Pizza
But the event started to deteriorate when a DJ with loudspeakers playing pop music, fire breathers and luxury cars turned up at the venue.
Initially, a procession of firebreathers and luxury cars was planned to mark the opening of the pizza shop.
However, that idea was abandoned after police officers advised the organisers against it.
But the event still included black and orange smoke grenades being let off in the street.
Mr Singh claims he was not aware that firebreathers and luxury cars would turn up at the venue.
The 23-year-old said: "All we have done today is open the shop, everything else is external, we just opened the shop, the rest was externally planned.
"It's been good, we've had a great opening, and we've had a great turnout.
"The police think that all the havoc outside is my fault.
Mr Singh said external parties had been promoting the event on social media which led to the 'havoc' outside.
He said: "The police think it's my fault.
"We didn't know this was going to happen, and we did try and calm things down as much as possible.
"All the havoc is from external parties."
"We just wanted to open up the shop and give away free pizzas."
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