Toxic sewage gases force gallery to close

An art gallery has been forced to close because of noxious gases and foul water seeping into the basement from a collapsed sewer. 

Pennie Radcliffe, 72, owner of Gallery@42 in South Street, Eastbourne, has moved to a temporary exhibition area while waiting for Southern Water to look further into the problem.

She said she has called the company on an almost daily basis since the problem started in May.   

“It has been a complete and utter nightmare,” she told the Eastbourne Reporter. 

Southern Water has now said it would return to the gallery later this month.

Mrs Radcliffe said she tried to keep the gallery open initially despite the persistent problem.

But she received hospital treatment because her health suffered due to the toxic fumes in the air.  

And running dehumidifiers to remove the damp has cost her £7,900 in electricity. 

She said: “I couldn't breathe properly and my throat closes up when I’m in there. The stench is appalling – it is a health and safety matter. 

“What breaks my heart is the way it is being handled. It is awful the way we are being made to suffer.” 

Conditions were so bad that she was forced to close in mid-August and she is concerned about the loss of business and loss of goodwill. The gallery is also her studio where she paints pet portraits and other commissioned work.  

Mrs Radcliffe said a Southern Water engineer told her in May that the Edwardian earthenware pipe running under the path at the side of the property needed replacing because the chamber it connected to had dropped. 

She said that a Southern Water sub-contractor previously put cement underneath to prop up the sewer but the problem was not solved. 

Mrs Radcliffe said the issue started when the sewer was found to be blocked in May this year, which is when the engineer told her the chamber needed replacing. 

Southern Water said in a statement this week to the Eastbourne Reporter: “We were made aware of concerns about odour at a property in South Street in May. 

“We repaired a faulty manhole at the side of the building but this has unfortunately not solved the odour issue. 

“Our teams will return on 22 September to investigate a possible sewer fault. 

“We are sorry that the customer is experiencing these issues and we will continue to do our best to resolve them.” 

Mrs Radcliffe is temporarily exhibiting paintings of hers and other artists at Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce on Gildredge Road every Friday afternoon from 2pm to 5pm. She is also offering a 10% discount on any paintings.

:: We can produce more real journalism like this if you help us with the price of a coffee each month via the Subscribe link. We think it's more interesting than recycled PR guff and clickbait - and we're also a non-profit. Thank you.