Monday, June 20, 2005
Kennedy's Bar
Fitzmaurice fumes at flood damage to Kennedy's Bar
In the aftermath of last night's flash floods caused by the worst thunderstorms in living memory, Kennedy's Bar was once again mounting a clean up operation only four weeks after reopening. A flood in May caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the popular Tyne Dock pub, and licencee Carl Fitzmaurice was just getting back on his feet, after spending thirty thousand pounds on new oak flooring, carpets, cellar equipment, beer pumps and lines, refrigeration etc.
When I arrived this morning the roads were still closed as council workmen continued to pump water from his cellar, before starting to clean up the layer of sewage infected sludge coating the streets.
Click pictures to enlarge
Carl explained that his problems are exacerbated by Northumbrian Water's sewers and drains. They are only 4 inches in diameter and lead directly to the river, when we have a high tide and the river is full the drainage systems cannot cope with any extra demand and they quickly back up onto the streets. At one stage last night flood waters were three feet deep inside and outside of his bar, customers were quickly called out to help save a stranded motorist when her car began to float and fill with water.
"Northumbrian Water are in a long running operation of cleaning out silt from a 1.5 kilometre stretch of sewers and drains, when really they ought to be investing in larger pipework", said Carl.
"I will now have to get in touch with the insurers and start all over again, the pub will have to close again because the bacteria in the sewage will quickly become a health hazard" he complained.
Carl Carl Fitzmaurice (right) pictured discussing his problems with a local journalist.
The markings around the fireplace show the level of the heavy sludge, the water level was a foot higher than this.
Considering the frequency of flooding at Tyne Dock and the continuing costs of cleaning up and reinstating damaged properties, it's high time that our local Councillors and MP put heavy pressure on Northumbrian Water to replace the worn out and inefficient sewerage system in this area and replace it with pipes of a considerably larger cross section, this is the only viable solution to the problems faced all too regularly by Carl Fitzmaurice and his long suffering neighbours. Come on guys........let's see some ACTION!
Other areas where inadequate drainage added to the problems last night were Ullswater Gardens, where the Neighbourhood Services Department spent several hours helping the elderly residents. Yet again these poor people have had to suffer because of the poor drainage system. (I believe it is the same network of pipes that serves Tyne Dock.) The old people's homes in West Way, opposite the Lord Ashleigh public house, were also inundated, again on the same network of pipes. I know that last night's weather was exceptional, but flooding in these three areas is not, it is now almost commonplace whenever we have haevy rain.
_________________________________________________________________
In the aftermath of last night's flash floods caused by the worst thunderstorms in living memory, Kennedy's Bar was once again mounting a clean up operation only four weeks after reopening. A flood in May caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the popular Tyne Dock pub, and licencee Carl Fitzmaurice was just getting back on his feet, after spending thirty thousand pounds on new oak flooring, carpets, cellar equipment, beer pumps and lines, refrigeration etc.
When I arrived this morning the roads were still closed as council workmen continued to pump water from his cellar, before starting to clean up the layer of sewage infected sludge coating the streets.
Click pictures to enlarge
Carl explained that his problems are exacerbated by Northumbrian Water's sewers and drains. They are only 4 inches in diameter and lead directly to the river, when we have a high tide and the river is full the drainage systems cannot cope with any extra demand and they quickly back up onto the streets. At one stage last night flood waters were three feet deep inside and outside of his bar, customers were quickly called out to help save a stranded motorist when her car began to float and fill with water.
"Northumbrian Water are in a long running operation of cleaning out silt from a 1.5 kilometre stretch of sewers and drains, when really they ought to be investing in larger pipework", said Carl.
"I will now have to get in touch with the insurers and start all over again, the pub will have to close again because the bacteria in the sewage will quickly become a health hazard" he complained.
Carl Carl Fitzmaurice (right) pictured discussing his problems with a local journalist.
The markings around the fireplace show the level of the heavy sludge, the water level was a foot higher than this.
Considering the frequency of flooding at Tyne Dock and the continuing costs of cleaning up and reinstating damaged properties, it's high time that our local Councillors and MP put heavy pressure on Northumbrian Water to replace the worn out and inefficient sewerage system in this area and replace it with pipes of a considerably larger cross section, this is the only viable solution to the problems faced all too regularly by Carl Fitzmaurice and his long suffering neighbours. Come on guys........let's see some ACTION!
Other areas where inadequate drainage added to the problems last night were Ullswater Gardens, where the Neighbourhood Services Department spent several hours helping the elderly residents. Yet again these poor people have had to suffer because of the poor drainage system. (I believe it is the same network of pipes that serves Tyne Dock.) The old people's homes in West Way, opposite the Lord Ashleigh public house, were also inundated, again on the same network of pipes. I know that last night's weather was exceptional, but flooding in these three areas is not, it is now almost commonplace whenever we have haevy rain.
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