Shops and businesses hit by 'planned' power cut

Several businesses have been hit by an apparently planned power cut with some saying they received warnings ahead of time but others claiming they were left in the dark.

Multiple properties on North Road in Durham were affected on Thursday afternoon, according to Crush Wines owner Daniel Jonberger.

He said he was not notified by Northern Powergrid but was instead warned by a worker at a nearby restaurant which had received a text from the company a few hours before the blackout.

Northern Powergrid has been approached for comment.

Mr Jonberger said power went out at 16:00 GMT and returned at 18:30.

"I got off lightly," he said. "Though there was no power to the fridges, the wines were able to stay cool as long as the doors were shut."

With all the candlelight, he said the bar felt particularly "cosy".

Simply Smash Burgers received a text from Northern Powergrid at 14:16 to say there would be no power between16:00 and 18:00 .

It was "quite late in the day", said manager Ali Rizvi.

But he then got another message soon after which said power would be out until at least 20:30.

"We decided to send staff back and shut down for the evening," he said.

"It was a difficult decision to make but we had no choice.

"Not only did it affect us as a business but it also affects our minimum wage staff of four who had their shifts cut short due to the closure."

Mr Rizvi said the power to the shop came back on at 18:55 GMT, earlier than estimated.

Other businesses including restaurants, pubs and a tanning salon posted on social media that they too had closed due to the power cut.

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