Stinky business: south London bike shop hit by ‘unbearable’ stench from Thames Water sewer
News Source
•Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:00:26 GMT
📰 What Happened
A bike shop in Herne Hill, south London, says a foul smell from a sewer is pushing it towards closure. Staff at Bicyclenation have been working on the pavement because the gas makes them ill. One worker vomited. The stench hits the shop at least five times a day, the owner says.
Last week Thames Water accepted that a main sewer under the shop is to blame. But the company has still not given owner Tamas Polocz or his 11 staff a date for fixing it. Thames Water now says it will fit monitors to track the gas.
🔍 The Backstory
The smell is probably untreated sewage sitting in pipes after a dry summer. With little rain to wash the pipes, bacteria make smelly gas in bursts. A cast-iron vent pipe that once carried fumes away was not replaced.
Britain's sewers were built in Victorian times for a wetter climate. Engineers say record heat and drought show the system needs a major rebuild. Thames Water is also in deep financial trouble and wants billions more to stay afloat.
🎯 Why It Matters
It shows how failing pipes hit small firms and people's health, and how slow repairs can be when a water company is in trouble.
A bike shop in Herne Hill, south London, says a foul smell from a sewer is pushing it towards closure. Staff at Bicyclenation have been working on the pavement because the gas makes them ill. One worker vomited. The stench hits the shop at least five times a day, the owner says.
Last week Thames Water accepted that a main sewer under the shop is to blame. But the company has still not given owner Tamas Polocz or his 11 staff a date for fixing it. Thames Water now says it will fit monitors to track the gas.
The smell is probably untreated sewage sitting in pipes after a dry summer. With little rain to wash the pipes, bacteria make smelly gas in bursts. A cast-iron vent pipe that once carried fumes away was not replaced.
Britain's sewers were built in Victorian times for a wetter climate. Engineers say record heat and drought show the system needs a major rebuild. Thames Water is also in deep financial trouble and wants billions more to stay afloat.
It shows how failing pipes hit small firms and people's health, and how slow repairs can be when a water company is in trouble.