By Bonny Burrows
A ruptured water pipe has dampened the opening of Pakenham’s Home Consortium Shopping Centre.
Amart Furniture, The Good Guys, Supercheap Auto and Snooze have officially taken over the former Master’s Site at Pakenham’s Lifestyle Centre, with the long-awaited centre opening the week of 11 December.
However, just days after the latter was open to the public and on the morning of The Good Guys’ official opening on 14 December, the shopping complex was flooded by a burst water pipe.
An estimated 3000L of water per minute or more than 120,000L in total was dumped throughout the centre.
Snooze Pakenham owner Neal Brimfield was devastated to learn the flood had destroyed three quarters of his store’s stock.
The store was the worst hit in the centre and Mr Brimfield said there was no choice but to close.
“It’s gone, we’re closed. Most of my stock was stuck in water for hours. Realistically, it’s stuffed,” Mr Brimfield said.
“Four-day old carpet, $36,000 carpet is gone. It’s a fairly substantial loss.
“All the walls will need to be cut back by a foot…. my staff are at home, there’s nothing they can do.”
Mr Brimfield now has to wait until lawyers have inspected the damage and tradesmen are available for repairs.
In the lead-up to Christmas shutting up shop is not something the business owner wanted to do, but he’s hopeful the store will reopen in time for Boxing Day.
“I’m generally the busiest from January through to March, from Boxing Day onwards,” Mr Brimfield said.
“So that’s the aim – to get it all sorted by then.”
Mr Brimfield said he wasn’t sure of the total damage bill, but “it’s not something I want to think about at the moment”.
The Good Guys was also damaged as part of the flood and had to push back its opening date by a day.
