Pub pong sees Swan takings go down drain

FED up . . . landlady Sharon Hirst

PHEW what a stench! Customers have deserted The Swan after leaking sewage turned the Lees pub a stinking mess.

Landlady Sharon Hirst, who took over the High Street pub in March, is at the end of her tether after enduring six weeks of foul smelling waste seeping up through the cellar floor.

The 37-year-old said: “The cellar is a truly horrific sight. There is thick black gunge coming up from the drains and the smell is horrendous.

“I am down £1,500 a week because people are walking in and walking straight back out again

“I usually open every day but I am staying closed on some days now because there is no point paying staff to come in.

“Sundays used to be my busiest day and I would regularly take £1,500 but now I’m lucky if it’s £350.

“I am running at a loss and I still have my electricity and gas bills and staff wages to pay. I can’t continue for much longer.”

Sharon, who worked at The Swan for six years before becoming landlady, lives in the flat above the pub.

She said: “The smell is awful even upstairs. It comes through the sink so I have to keep the plug in.

“I’ve used a lifetime’s supply of air freshener in the past few weeks but they only mask the smell, they don’t get rid of it. I’ve been throwing bleach down in the cellar but nothing works. The problem needs solving at the source.

“JW Lees has investigated as have the council’s environmental health team and United Utilities but so far they haven’t found out what is causing the stink.”

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said: “I sympathise with Sharon Hurst and understand the difficult pressures this puts her under — on top of the obvious economic challenges that all pub licensees are already facing.

“Officers from the council’s environmental health team have visited The Swan to help with investigations.

“At present the exact nature of what is causing it remains unidentified by all parties. I understand a meeting is now being arranged between our officers, United Utilities, the landlady, JW Lees Brewery, and their own contractors to find a way forward.

“Our officers will help in whatever way we can to help resolve this matter, and to ensure that public health is not put at risk. They visited The Swan on Friday afternoon and have said it can remain open.”

Helen Wilson of United Utilities said: “It seems to be an internal problem. We have done a full survey of the public sewer system which is working properly.”