Bohemia Village Voice  Bohemia Village Voice

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Bohemia Lighting reopens after flood

Maurice Dunford - pleased to be trading again after the flood.

Maurice Dunford - pleased to be trading again after the flood.

A long-established Bohemia Road business has recently reopened after a  flood. Bohemia Lighting and sister business Security First are both run by Maurice and Annette Dunford from the same premises at 71 Bohemia Road. But arriving at the shop on 29th March, the couple found water across the floor. Maurice told the Voice, ‘I phoned Southern Water straightaway. I told them sewage was coming through our back wall, but they denied having drains there and told me to get a plumber in. I knew that was wrong so I persevered, and eventually I got them to come and look.’
Annette says representatives of Southern Water came out several times but couldn’t find the leak. ‘Finally they put a camera down the drain and found a cracked pipe under the yard behind 1 Newgate Road. It was then repaired on Maundy Thursday, but we came in the next day, Good Friday, and it was even worse. Southern Water sent out another team, who told us it hadn’t been done properly the first time round.’ The business was forced to close for a month after a visit from environmental health officers. The damage to the business has been substantial, and the couple are currently negotiating compensation with their insurance company for the cost of remedial work, loss of earnings and loss of £5000 worth of stock. Meanwhile, the shop has been substantially refurbished. ‘Everything contaminated was removed,’ says Maurice. ‘The walls were replastered, and we’ve put in a new carpet and new counters. Fingers crossed, all the customers we had before the flood will come back now they know we’re open again.’

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