Pipes work comes too late for flood hit Shrewsbury garage
Owners of a garage hit by severe flooding caused by water main bursting has welcomed news the pipes will be replaced – but has warned it may have come too late for them.
Clive Pratt, owner of E&A Downes on Hereford Road in Meole Brace, Shrewsbury, said the announcement by Severn Trent Water that work would be brought forward. But he said his garage is still closed and its future remains in jeopardy.
The £1 million scheme to replace a section of water pipes in the Roman Road area has been fast-tracked to start in May by Severn Trent Water.
The water pipes have a history of leaks and bursts, including two incidents in December last year, which caused hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage to some businesses.
Mr Pratt said: "It's good news no doubt because at the moment we are still closed. We are still negotiating with the insurance company about the damaged caused to the property.
"We've been losing customers, we've been losing money since the pipes burst twice in December. I think they burst about four times in four years. The garage is still a mess and we haven't come to any arrangement with the insurers yet. It's a very stressful time for us.
"I can't see us being up and running for another couple of months yet. It has completely ruined us. You would not believe the damage it has done to us.
"It's really about waiting to see what the insurers are going to do now with the building in terms of flood defence.
"It is just going from one thing to another at the moment, nothing has been finalised."
He said the Shropshire Star report of the proposed works was the first he had heard of it.
The father-of-four said: "No one has come to see us at all. If they what they say with the pipes that's great but we still have to repair our building.
"It's going to cost a lot of money, hundreds of pounds to put the building right and if we going get it up and running before May, what happens if the pipes burst again?
"There has been water in here that has been 18 inches deep and it's still mess now. There's equipment that is still rotting away.
"Until that pipe is done we can't go on securely. It's certainly going to help to stop that problem if Severn Trent can do something.
"It really is a nightmare situation and each time it happens it gets worse.
Work to replace the old pipes is set to start in early May, with work due to be complete in the summer.
