Work hits cafe trade

Aug 1 2002 By Helen Harper, Caernarfon And Denbigh Herald

WORK to provide electricity cables to a new café has disrupted business to another café in Caernarfon.

Gwenda Toplis, the proprietor of Y Gegin Fach, in Pool Hill, was dismayed when work started outside her shop to lay electricity cables for a new cafÈ on Tuesday, July 30.

This led to her water supply being switched off as a result of a burst pipe, quickly followed by the gas being turned off, after workmen went through the gas pipe.

Gwenda explained: "I don't mind the noise because the work has got to be done, but when they burst the water pipe, I had to carry water from over the road and put it on the gas stove to boil to do the teas.

"I had no water for three hours. It is boiling hot in the kitchen and the weather is warm outside. I can't open the windows because of the noise and people have been complaining that it is very warm in here.

"All I needed was a burst water pipe, and then, half an hour after it came back on, they burst the gas pipe. I couldn't use my grill, the cooker or the boiler, so I have no hot water.

"It's getting worse. The gas was off for about threequarters of an hour. I haven't had anybody here, apart from two elderly gentlemen who could hardly get in because there was a huge lorry repairing the hole."

A spokesman for Scottish Power said: "The work is being done by Core Utilities Solutions, in a joint venture with Scottish Power.

"They have been working on new electrical connections for a new company, a new cafÈ, Cofi Roc, on Y Maes.

"They have had to excavate the Penllyn area to put cables through, but the contractors, Core Utilities Solutions, have gone through the gas and water pipe, and we will be speaking to the contractors about it. We have spoken to the cafÈ owner and appreciate the inconvience it has caused."