00:00Back in December, Tunbridge Wells had only one Christmas wish, to get running water back
00:04through their pipes.
00:05And for many businesses, they lost so much trade that it was equal to tens of thousands
00:10of pounds.
00:11Now, South East Water have started a compensation scheme to support the businesses affected
00:15by the supply issues.
00:17This started at £600,000 but was doubled to £1.2 million being split among the traders.
00:22Some of them say it still isn't enough to cover their losses.
00:25I don't think it's fair because, I mean, if I lost £50,000, £60,000, can you imagine
00:32how much a hotel with 50, 60 rooms, 100 rooms will be losing and closing the doors for business?
00:41There are hundreds and hundreds of businesses who are waiting for that little sport.
00:45I don't think it will be enough.
00:47TN1 isn't the only business that will need to have their hand in that £1.2 million pot.
00:52I've been speaking to bars, cafes, pubs, restaurants, and they're all worried that with everyone
00:57needing some of that money, that it'll dry up quite quickly.
01:00I think, you know, obviously it's great that they've doubled the compensation pot.
01:04I think that's, you know, obviously that's great, and that will only help to help more
01:08businesses, but I suspect they will do everything they can to probably give the minimum to each
01:15business where they can, in all honesty.
01:19I just, yeah, I'll be very surprised if we get much.
01:22South East Water have said they'll be allocating the money on a case-by-case basis, saying in
01:26a statement that, in light of the applications made by the businesses of Tunbridge Wells regarding
01:30interruptions experienced in December 2025, we have extended the deadline to submit their
01:35compensation claim to 19 June 2026.
01:38Once all applications have been received, reviewed, and verified, we will contact individual
01:42businesses to discuss their payment.
01:44That money in the compensation pot was increased after the Offwatch CEO Chris Walters went down
01:48to Tunbridge Wells with MP Mike Martin to speak to the local businesses.
01:52But, during the crisis, the politician was calling for £18 million of compensation, so
01:57what changed?
01:58I had businesses telling me that they were going under because of cash flow concerns.
02:03My job there is to make sure that the businesses get what they deserve.
02:09Obviously, when you're out of a crisis, you can then collect detailed evidence.
02:13It takes about an hour and a half to pull together your business to know exactly, you know, so
02:17you can evidence that claim.
02:18And then we've got that evidence, we've put it together, we've presented it to South East
02:22Water, and they've met that evidence head-on with an exact amount, so I do think it is
02:26a significant victory, yes.
02:28At this stage, businesses are still applying for the compensation scheme, but there's a
02:31feeling of unease among the traders who say they've lost trust in the water supplier.
02:35And these businesses say that while the promise of some kind of reimbursement would help,
02:39with high bills, wages, and business rates, it's taking everything they can to keep their
02:43heads above water.
02:45Finn McDermid for KMTV in Tunbridge Wells.
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