Pub's underground toilets damaged during roadworks
Patrons at The Quadrant pub in Clifton, Bristol, now have to cross the road to use two portable toilets, after diggers destroyed a cellar roof.
Pub director Tom Rowell said the damage meant his pub was losing 30-50% of its usual takings at this time of year.
Bristol City Council said: "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and are actively working with the business owner to rectify the situation as quickly as possible and with minimal disruption."
More news stories for Bristol
Watch the latest Points West
Listen to the latest news for Bristol
It is understood that contractors missed the cellar when a ground penetrating radar survey was conducted before work to pedestrianise Princess Victoria street began.
"Luckily I was the only person in the building when I heard the crash, I went to the bathrooms to look and I could see daylight coming through and contractors looking down," Mr Rowell said.
The damage and subsequent water leaks mean the building has no functioning toilets and patrons have to use two portable toilets.
"My business relies on goodwill and of repeat and returning customers and giving them a premium and enjoyable experience and as soon as they come to need to use the facilities, the fact that they're not there has been a big issue," he said.
Mr Rowell said there was a "lack of urgency" over the repairs, and "a level of passing the buck to the next person or the next department".
He estimated internal repairs would take two days, but that could not happen until the road above was also fixed.
Councillor Ed Plowden, chairman of Bristol City Council's Transport and Connectivity Committee said: "We accept that we need to put it right and have provided two portable toilets on site for The Quadrant customers to use until the remedy works have been complete."
Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Pedestrianisation schemes rocket by £500,000
Pedestrian zone made permanent to boost trade
Pedestrianisation of city suburb begins
The Quadrant
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Government to launch new water ombudsman to boost consumer protection
Steve Reed is set to announce tougher protections for consumers amid declining trust in the water industry. The Environment Secretary will commit to setting up a new water ombudsman with legal powers to resolve disputes, rather than the current voluntary system that is thought to lack teeth. The changes, which will expand the role of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), will bring the sector into line with other utilities by creating a legally binding consumer watchdog. It will also provide a single point of contact for consumers with complaints, instead of leaving them uncertain about where to go. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the new watchdog would help 're-establish partnership' between water companies and consumers. In May, a survey by the CCW found trust in water companies had reached a new low, with less than two-thirds of people saying they provided value for money. Only 53% said they thought what water companies charged was fair, even before the impact of a 26% increase in bills that came into effect in April. CCW chief executive Mike Keil said he welcomed the move to create a mandatory ombudsman, saying it had been a 'key ask' of his organisation 'so people can have absolute confidence that when they complain, they have robust protection'. The new ombudsman is part of Mr Reed's wider plans for a 'root and branch reform' of the water industry, set to be unveiled alongside a major review of the sector on Monday. Following publication of the review, he is expected to say: 'The water industry is broken. Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels of sewage. 'Water pipes have been left to crumble into disrepair. Soaring water bills are straining family finances. 'Today's final report from Sir Jon Cunliffe's Independent Water Commission offers solutions to fix our broken regulatory system so the failures of the past can never happen again.' The key recommendation is expected to involve scrapping Ofwat and creating a new regulator, which could incorporate the work of the CCW. Shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins said stronger consumer protections were 'welcome in principle' but only 'part of the serious long-term reforms the water sector needs'. She said: 'We all want the water system to improve, and honesty about the scale of the challenge is essential. Steve Reed must explain that bill payers are paying for the £104 billion investment plan. Ministers must also explain how replacing one quango with another is going to clean up our rivers and lakes. 'Public confidence in the water system will only be rebuilt through transparency, resilience, and delivery.' Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron called for Ofwat to be scrapped, saying the sector needed 'fundamental change, not another layer of bureaucracy'. He added: 'If Ofwat remains in either name or nature, then the Government will have let the public down. 'Simply scrapping Ofwat but retaining a balkanised and weak regulatory framework will only be window dressing, so we are interested in the Government's proposals but the jury is still out as to whether they'll make much difference.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Healey to call for '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine and force Putin to negotiate
The Defence Secretary will call for a '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine when he chairs a meeting of Kyiv's allies on Monday. John Healey is expected to argue that the West should again boost its military support for Ukraine in an effort to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Donald Trump has already threatened to impose 'very severe' tariffs on Russia if it does not agree a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days on from the US president's announcement that he would sell 'top-of-the-line' weapons to Nato that could then be given to Ukraine. On Monday, Mr Healey will use a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) to back Mr Trump's proposal and pledge that the UK will 'play our full part in its success to bolster Ukraine's immediate fight'. Calling for more support from Western allies, he is expected to say: 'Alongside this, the US has started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or face crippling economic sanctions. 'As members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, we need to step up in turn with a '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table.' Monday will be the fourth time Mr Healey has chaired the UDCG, and the third occasion he has done so alongside German defence minister Boris Pistorius. The group, which brings together defence ministers and officials from Ukraine's allies, was chaired by the US until Mr Trump came to power and began rowing back on American support for Kyiv and European security. Mr Healey's comments come as the Ministry of Defence confirmed the UK had sent £150 million worth of air defence missiles and artillery rounds to Ukraine in the past two months. The deliveries are part of a commitment to spend £700 million on air defence and artillery ammunition for Ukraine this year, alongside other funding to provide more of the drones that have become key weapons in the war with Russia. The UK has delivered 50,000 drones to Ukraine in the last six months, with another 20,000 coming from a coalition of nations led by Britain and Latvia. Monday's UDCG is expected to see further commitments, with Germany and the UK agreeing to procure more air defence missiles using 170 million euros of funding from Berlin. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said it was 'right' that the Government 'continues to provide all possible support to Ukraine'. He added: 'It is also important that we stand firm alongside the United States in reinforcing their 50-day deadline to ensure Putin is under maximum pressure to pursue peace. 'That means all of our allies playing their part, and following the PM's recent summit with Chancellor Merz, we hope that this 50-day drive will include German confirmation that it intends to provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine.' Meanwhile, Russia continues to bombard Ukraine with drones and missiles. Confirming a string of attacks on civilian targets in Odesa and critical infrastructure in the Sumy region on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also thanked international leaders 'who understand how important it is to promptly implement our agreements' aimed at boosting Ukraine's defence capabilities.
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
UK Pledges Consumer Champion for Scandal-Ridden Water Sector
Britain will set up a new office to investigate consumer complaints against water companies as part of a 'root and branch' overhaul of a sector in crisis after years of under-investment and pollution scandals. The proposed water ombudsman would have binding legal powers to resolve disputes, unlike the current 'voluntary' system, and bring the sector into line with other utilities, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said in a statement Sunday.
