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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Maisie Lawton

Shop owner's fury over constant overflowing drain pipes 'killing trade'

Frustrated business owners claim overflowing and blocked drain pipes are 'killing' their trade, with the streets outside their stores regularly flooding.

The people behind Enhance Beauty Salon, Gents Barber Shop, Tony's Café and convenience store Raja Brothers are just some affected 'dramatically' by the constant flooding on Button Lane, in Wythenshawe.

The small independent businesses are faced with 'gruellingly' quiet trade as Button Lane continues to be prone to flooding, with people blaming blocked drains. The flood-watered street is causing residents to tread through dirty sewage puddles, injure injuries, and avoid local trade surrounded by the overflowing gutters.

READ MORE: Levelling Up funding branded a 'joke' as multi-million pound bids rejected

The business owner of 'Tony's Café' says a review is necessary by councillors to do more in targeting gully cleaning.

Tony Baker, 55, said: "The flooding has happened consistently since my trade began here four years ago in March. It's affecting passing trade dramatically - we received business from delivery services Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat, but drivers complain about getting to us. I'm aware some are refusing to come altogether.

Business owners on Button Lane, Wythenshawe, are saying that flooding outside their premises is ruining business (Manchester Evening News)

"Passing traders - which is a significant proportion of our customers - don't stop by or park up because they get soaked. They see the stretch of dirty water to wade through and instantly reconsider. We even get complaints from regular customers questioning how we are coping. It's killing trade."

While another trade owner says the pressure is causing her to shut up shop early, alongside witnessing injuries and health concerns involving the flooded road.

Salina Ouhibi, owner of Enhance Beauty Salon, said: "I have had ownership along Button Lane for 18 months and have reported it to the council ever since. The Highway Agency arrived only for a response to be overturned to United Utilities and moved along again.

"I've seen children playing in the dirty water and it calls to concern for their hygiene and health. Including an elderly lady who misjudged the walkway due to the floods and injured herself from a fall.

"For at least two days I have closed at 10.30am instead of 5pm or 2-3pm other times. We are narrowing to a few days a week, and if the flooding isn't resolved soon we might all be out of trade - we need to protect the small independent businesses now more than ever during this economic crisis."

Local residents have been complaining about the blocked drains for over three years (Salina Ouhibi)

Owner of Gents Barber Shop, Danny Wright, 43, has watched the quiet decline along Button Lane for many years and says calls to complaints have gone unheard.

He said: "The flooding is nearly to the shops - it's a big hit on these independent traders because there's nowhere to park or stop by without getting caught up in the blocked drainage. We have complained many times but nothings been done about it."

Raja Rafiq, 25, and owner of the convenience store Raja Brothers says 'people won't stop here to get essentials' when it is easier for passing customers to visit elsewhere with ease.

He said: "The drainage is definitely blocked. I've lowered a rod over the grid a couple of times to unblock the drains, but this year it wouldn't move - it's causing the flooding to expand and get increasingly higher along the pavement."

Trade owners of Enhance Beauty Salon, Gents Barber Shop, Tony's Café, and Raja Brothers are among some of the businesses affected on Button Lane (Manchester Evening News)

Local councillor Glynn Evans told the Manchester Evening News: "Highways attended Tuesday morning (10 January) and returned the same evening and followed up with a visit on Wednesday and removed the last of the rainwater.

"The amount of rain fall over Wednesday and Thursday flooding has returned, and Highways have attended today to remove the water build up and will continue to monitor the situation. A contractor has been appointed and a permit to excavate the drains has been applied for, and contractors should be on site on Monday 23rd January to locate the blockage and repair accordingly."

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