Foul downpour in Inverness forced shop manager Helen Pentecost of Ness Bikes to shut up shop until waste pipe issue was fixed
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A shop manager had to close her Inverness business earlier this week to avoid the risk of customers getting caught in a foul downpour.
Helen Pentecost, who works at Ness Bikes, in Lombard Street, said customers using the street were very likely to be splashed on as a pipe has been leaking for days.
But after the Highland News intervened, Highland Council cordoned off the area and found the landlord of the property above Ness Bikes to sort out the problem.
Mrs Pentecost said she was frustrated by being unable to engage either the council or Scottish Water in helping to clear up the problem.
In spite of trying to work out who owns the property above her shop, and contacting authorities, she was at a loss as to where to get help.
Mrs Pentecost said: “Unless I had come to the newspaper, and to Inverness BID, and got my teeth into sorting out this problem, we would still be wading through that waste pipe water.
“Hopefully things are on their way to getting sorted now that Highland Council have been able to make contact with the landlord.
“At the moment the water is running clear, but if someone flushes a toilet then things might not be so pretty. It is disgusting really.”
She continued: “When we were going in and out of the shop we are getting water dripped on us, it was not nice at all. So we had to close.”
“We certainly could not have people walking through it, it is a health and safety issue, and very unpleasant indeed.”
She hopes to reopen the shop soon.
Ms Pentecost said she had tried to contact the local authority a number of times.
The council’s emergency line was engaged, and after waiting for more than 20 minutes a number of times on the phone, she gave up trying to get through – and contacted the Highland News to try and get help.
She said: “I gave up trying to get through to someone, so I thought I will phone the newspaper, they will get this sorted.”
A spokesman for Highland Council’s environmental health team, said: “Officers responded to concerns about a defective drainage pipe discharging waste onto the pavement at Lombard Street, Inverness.
"The officers managed to identify the owner of the relevant property, who on being made aware of the issue, attended immediately.
"The property owner has arranged for a local plumbing company to attend to carry out the necessary repairs to the pipework.
" The owner provided assurances to our officers that the property would remain unoccupied until the issue was resolved.
"The property owner took appropriate action after being made aware of the issue and we do not envisage any further action requiring to be taken.”
A Scottish Water spokesman said: “Faults relating to the public sewer network can be reported to our customer helpline on 0800 0778 778.”
