Warrnambool’s Swintons IGA closed its doors to customers on Wednesday morning after water from a leaking roof damaged the store’s switchboard.
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Store manager Brett Maloney said the supermarket opened at noon, rather than 7.30am, due to safety concerns.
“We lost the morning trade,” Mr Maloney said. “The switchboard had water in it. I didn’t want to open (the store). It could have tripped (the switchboard) out.”
He said heavy rains and a leaking roof over the middle of the shop where the switchboard was located, was to blame.
Mr Maloney said it was a safety issue and the store was closed as a precaution.
“It wasn’t worth having anyone in here. I’d rather get it right for safety reasons. I didn’t want the customers walking around in a dark shop,” Mr Maloney said.
Mr Maloney said it the old building’s gutters couldn’t cope and the roof leaked about three times per year.
He said the roof had since been fixed and it was business as usual at the Timor Street store.
“Hopefully we can put some measures in so it doesn’t happen again,” Mr Maloney said.