What a stink!

After fifteen years of trading in Wimborne town centre, Classy Collections owner Nicola Sheppard, has found herself in the middle of a stink.

The new owners of Angels café in Quarterjack Mews, which also fronts East Street and is next door to Classy Collections, have upgraded their kitchen and installed an extraction unit.

Nicola said, “Since then, all their kitchen smells have wafted across the alley into my shop.”

She said, “The smells are off-putting for staff and customers and twice my shop has been filled with smoke.  It got so bad, I decided to seal off the main doorway to protect my stock. In the current economic climate, I need all the custom I can get and having to close off the main entrance is detrimental to my business.”

Mr Bernard Simpson, who owns Angels, said, “As soon as I knew how the smells were affecting the shop next door, I dealt with the problem. I had a carbon filter and ozone injection installed, which cost over £2,600, to minimise the smells.”

Nicola is not of the same opinion, she said, “After the remedial work, there wasn’t any significant improvement.  The only solution in my estimation would be to have the extractor unit removed and the ventilation unit put back in its place.  There has always been an air vent in the alleyway, but it was to suck fresh air into Angels, not extract smells out.”

Steve Ducket, head of public health services at East Dorset District Council said, "Following an initial approach from the council, the occupier voluntarily installed odour reduction measures and their impact is currently being assessed.”

If members of the public have any comments on the smell, they can contact the Public Health Department at East Dorset District Council on 01202 886201.