Six months after a burst Thames Water pipe flooded Caledonian Road, businesses are still waiting for compensation and repairs, with some traders saying they are being treated "like numbers on a spreadsheet." The flooding in February caused severe damage to shops and basements, and despite promises of speedy compensation, many businesses remain shuttered or are struggling to recover.
Traders report ongoing losses and frustration
Parmjeit Chopra, who runs a Nisa Local convenience store, said he is owed more than £30,000 in damage repayments, stock replenishment, and compensation. He told the Tribune: "I'm so frustrated and disappointed. I just want my shop to be back to how it was in February. They just keep pushing payments back, and they just don't communicate at all."
Chopra added that without storage space and freezers, he cannot sell frozen food or ice cream, leading to lost customers. "If we don't have a solution soon, we will have to close the business because we can't work like this," he said.
Thames Water has made some interim payments to help replace equipment and refit shops, but no compensation has been offered, leaving many traders to cover costs from their own pockets. Eleni Lasheen, who has run beauty parlour So Fab London for 18 years, said even the interim payments included deductions, and every attempt to contact Thames Water about compensation was met with "tumbleweed."
Businesses struggle to recover
So Fab London was closed for three months and reopened in May after "18-hour days" of work. Lasheen described the stress: "I haven't been able to sleep because I was waking up having panic attacks, and now we are having to rebuild everything, from our customer base to our tax arrangements." She added, "Their lack of communication, how much you have to chase them, I will be honest, it pushed me to the edge. I have given up and drawn the line because they have made us feel we won't get anything other than the absolute bare minimum."
The delays come as the government declares two-thirds of the country is in a drought amid the hottest summer on record, and as the BBC reported that Thames Water paid its new finance chief a £1m signing-on fee despite huge debts.
Council criticizes Thames Water
Cllr Paul Convery, who represents the Caledonian Ward, called the situation "scandalous." He said: "Six months ago, Thames Water flooded dozens of shops and basements on Caledonian Road and almost destroyed many small local businesses. The company promised speedy compensation yet the payments still haven't arrived. It's scandalous behaviour from a completely unaccountable company that wastes a quarter of its supply in leaks and bursts and then imposes water bans on its users when the summer gets hot."
He added, "Adding insult to injury, the company has come up with wangles to pay multimillion-pound bonuses to its incompetent senior executives."
Thames Water responds
A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We recognise the impact the burst pipe on Caledonian Road has had on local businesses and the wider community earlier this year. Following the incident, our insurance claims handlers were appointed to assess each claim on its individual circumstances, and they continue to work with affected businesses to progress outstanding cases as quickly as possible."
The spokesperson noted that claims can vary in complexity and resolution time depends on the information and supporting evidence available. "While many claims have already been settled, a number remain ongoing and the claim handlers continue to engage directly with those impacted. We understand how difficult and disruptive this incident has been and we remain committed to supporting customers through the insurance claims process with regular communication throughout," they said.
Despite these assurances, many businesses on Caledonian Road remain closed, and traders are calling for faster action to avoid permanent closures.
