A defiant reveller caught up in Saturday’s horrific terror attack has vowed to return to the restaurant where he was eating to pay his bill and tip the staff who “looked out for us when they should have been helping themselves”.
Seven people were killed and at least 48 were injured when three terrorists drove a van into pedestrians before going on a stabbing spree in nearby Borough Market.
But Richard Angell, who was eating in Arabica Bar and Kitchen in the area when the attack began, has vowed not “to let these people win”.
Speaking to the BBC yesterday, the 33-year-old said: “I’ll be going back to the same restaurant to finish my meal, pay my bill and give them a double tip. They cared about us and our safety.”
Angell, who is the director of Labour supporting think tank, Progress, hid with others in the restaurant after security locked the doors and told them to “duck and cover”.
But despite his terrifying experience, Angell says that he’s not going to allow terrorists to stop “what makes London so great”.
“If me having a gin and tonic with my friends, flirting with handsome men, hanging out with brilliant women is what offends these people so much, I’m going to do it more, not less,” he added.
Angell’s account comes amid a whole host of stories showing the kindness and bravery of Londoners following the attack.
While a generous lawyer and his taxi driver cousin inspired thousands of people by pledging to drive people caught up in the attack home for free, a man from Surrey cycled 34km to deliver water to police working at London Bridge.
Heroic medics and police have also been commended for their response to the emergency, with the three attackers shot dead within minutes by armed officers.
The London Bridge attack is the third terrorist incident in the UK in the past three months.
While 22 people were killed by a suicide bomber at Manchester Arena just two weeks ago, there was another vehicle and knife attack in Westminster in March.
Speaking on the steps of Number 10 yesterday, Theresa May vowed that “enough is enough”, hinting at tougher counter-terrorism laws.
“Our society should continue to function in accordance with our values,” she said.
“But when it comes to taking on extremism and terrorism, things need to change.”
Although national campaigning was suspended by Labour and the Conservatives in the wake of the attack, the General Election is set to go ahead as planned on Thursday.