A Nottingham cafe owner says she fears for her livelihood after her business was hit by a series of floods with no obvious cause.
Ila Gamble, of Ila’s Little Tea Shoppe on Trinity Walk, discovered water in her cellar last week after returning from a holiday.
She says it’s the latest in a series of floods at the shop which have appeared suddenly
The 56-year-old from Sandiacre said: “It started two Saturday’s ago while I was in Spain for three days.
“The ceiling had collapsed in the cloakroom [in the cellar], and loads of boxes were damaged.
“We closed for three days last week and then opened again on the Saturday.
“But in the afternoon, Eleanor, who runs the shop next to me, found the floods had started again. She has it even worse than me as she is downhill [on the street].”
Ila used to run English Memories, a café in High Road, Beeston, then went into property investment in 2007, before going into food and drink again at the end of last year.
But she now fears the shop may have to close after just six months if the problem is not solved soon.
She added: “It’s scary- I have only been in the business for a short time. If something like this happens we could have to close.
“We have suppliers we still have to pay, rent which is due.
“It has been an on-going problem but I have not realised what it is. We thought it could have been the toilet we have in the shop which is notorious for flooding but it wasn’t that.
“We also have a flat roof but there is nothing up there either. Every time we think we have found the cause, it turns out not to be it.
“If there was an end to it, it would be ok but it is the not knowing that is worrying.”
Ila’s assistant, Josh Melnichenko, discovered the flood while she was away.
Ila added: “Josh tried to sort it out but when I came back and he told me about it I told him I didn’t want to see it.
“He tried to protect me from what had happened- he is so supportive.”
Ila added Severn Trent, water suppliers for the area, have sent contractors in to determine the cause, but are yet to find an answer.
“My landlord has been very accommodating – he was the one who got the contractors out in the first place and telling them to do everything they can to get everything up and running again,” she added
“We were just really picking up- we have always had our regulars but were starting to attract more.
“A lot of our customers come on their own and talk to us if they want to share something. It is not just a tea shop- it is a community.”
Severn Trent have been approached for comment.
