Owner’s concerns after shop deluge

Owner’s concerns after shop deluge

1 August 2018

A DOWNPATRICK businessman whose sports shop has been flooded eight times in eight years has appealed to roads officials to end his nightmare.

Paul McCartan’s premises in Market Street were swamped last Saturday morning after a huge deluge which only lasted a few minutes, but flooded the ground floor, forcing him to close for several hours to carry out a mopping up operation.

The heavy rain also flooded John Young’s carpet store in Church Street, which was forced to close after the ground floor of his business was awash with floodwater.

Mr McCartan said the flooding outside his business started in 2010 when part of the footpath was extended to provide a new pedestrian crossing area. This resulted in angling the position of a granite kerb close to two drains which the businessman says is directing flood water directly into his store.

He believes realigning the footpath would stop his shop from flooding, suggesting roads officials could provide pedestrian barriers at this point to prevent people from stepping out into traffic.

“I have now been flooded eight times in eight years and it is no coincidence that this only started when the footpath was realigned,” declared Mr McCartan. “It is exactly a year since we were flooded last and when there is a deluge of rain I know what is going to happen.

“The water running down Market Street hits the kerb and arrows straight into my shop. All I am asking is that the section of path close to me is straightened. It would not take long or cost much and would represent a little bit of common sense to address an issue I should not have to put up with.”

The business owner said action is needed and that he should not be forced to close every time there is a major downpour. Mr McCartan admitted he is ”beginning to lose track” of the number of times he has been flooded.

“This situation cannot be allowed to continue. Even if the front door of the shop was closed, floodwater seeps in below it,” he said. “I appreciate the footpath was redesigned to facilitate people using Market Lane making their way to Market Street, but there is a design fault in my opinion. While there are two drains outside my shop, fast running rainwater flows over the top of them.

“This situation simply cannot be allowed to continue. During Saturday’s downpour, water flowed down Market Street at a ferocious rate. I am flooded once a year on average and business is hard enough without having to put up with this.”

Mr McCartan said when his store was redeveloped in 2000, the entrance was made level with the footpath to cater for the mobility needs of all his customers. He said as a result of this, “he is now caught out every time there is heavy rain.”

The businessman thanked the many people, including neighbouring business owners who helped him on Saturday morning to clear up, adding: “At times like this you see the good in people. I am fortunate to have a tiled floor, not carpet or wooden flooring as there would have been major damage. 

“I have no doubt the flooding issue can be addressed with a dose of good old fashioned common sense. The bottom line is that I cannot go on like this. How many more times must it happen before something is done? What I am asking for is not out of the ordinary.”

A Department for Infrastructure spokesman said the organisation was called to a flooding incident at the Downpatrick sports shop last Saturday.

He said the flooding that occurred should be seen as an “exceptional event” with very heavy intensity of rain falling over a short period of time.

“Flooding has previously taken place at this location and the Department has provided an additional road gully at the point where the footpath build-out begins and where water had previously topped the kerb and flowed towards the shop,” he explained.

“Additional road gullies were also provided further up the hill to reduce the volume of water arriving at the gullies at the kerb build-out.”

The spokesman said the connection between the road gullies and the NI Water storm sewer was also enhanced. He said since this work was carried out, no further flooding incidents occurred until last Saturday.