‘Blocked drain’ flood hits traders in Falkirk’s Vicar Street

A Falkirk hairdressing salon’s ground floor was swamped by a damaging flood on Monday, and now the High Spirits pub next door has been forced to close.
High Spirits bar - under new management for just two months and part-flooded at the busiest time of the year.High Spirits bar - under new management for just two months and part-flooded at the busiest time of the year.
High Spirits bar - under new management for just two months and part-flooded at the busiest time of the year.

The problem has cost both outlets time and money at one of the busiest times of the year, and it has taken most of the week to determine the problem and - hopefully - put it right.

The Falkirk Herald contacted both Falkirk Council and Scottish Water today to find whether they could help the businesses concerned to find a solution.

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High Spirits manager Jordan Knight reckons the problem has cost hundreds of pounds through temporary closure and a lost booking.

Tweedie and Marshall Hairdressing, flooded on Monday and only now able to prepare for a return to full normal service.Tweedie and Marshall Hairdressing, flooded on Monday and only now able to prepare for a return to full normal service.
Tweedie and Marshall Hairdressing, flooded on Monday and only now able to prepare for a return to full normal service.

Hairdresser Tweedie and Marshall’s boss Connie Marshall was forced to close her ground floor salon for most of the week - although she kept business going on her first floor.

Both operators felt they were getting nowhere fast in their bid to source the root of the problem.

Falkirk Council said internal flooding problems in private property were not their concern, and meanwhile the manager of High Spirits was concerned at a potential fire risk should electrics be flooded.

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However this afternoon Scottish Water - who sent two engineers to the site - said it had traced the probable source of the problem.

A spokesperson said: “We were notified about internal flooding at a property on Vicar Street on Monday.

“At this time we believed this to be a private drainage issue.

“We were made aware the issue was ongoing on Thursday.

“Our sewer response team attended the site this morning and found the sewer was blocked with wet wipes and other non-flushables.

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“We have now cleared this blockage via a manhole at back of a property in the area which we hope has resolved this issue.”

Assuming the problem is fixed both businesses should be able to return to normal once insurance and repair details have been finalised.

However the drama has left traders frustrated at the apparent lack of information business owners face when dealt with a potentially deeply threatening issue out of the blue.