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Troubled store B&Q has finally reopened after being closed due to noxious fumes. The DIY superstore in Station Road, Belvedere closed twice within 5 days after staff complained of headaches and sore throats. An unidentifiable chemical was sourced after a thorough investigation, but was not conclusive. Fire fighters and the ambulance crew attended as people complained of feeling unwell, but fortunately there were no hospital admissions as a result of the fumes.
A B&Q spokesperson said “We’re pleased to be open again to customers on Monday 27th of February, after more than a week of thorough investigation into an unidentified smell in our Belvedere store. We have worked with all relevant authorities, including the Environmental Health Office and expert testing agencies, to investigate/explore every avenue in trying to identify the source of the smell that left staff feeling unwell. We’ve upgraded part of the drainage system in store, and we have replaced the seals between the floor slabs to prevent smells getting into our store in the future. We’ve monitored the air regularly over the past week and have not found any harmful substances. We’re therefore pleased to welcome staff and customers back into the store.”
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Bexley Council is again appealing to the public not to feed wild pigeons after receiving many complaints from residents and local businesses about the birds and their mess.
Some parts of the borough have tended to have over-large pigeon populations, notably Erith town centre and the clock tower area of Bexleyheath Broadway.
It has not been Council policy to destroy pigeons but to limit the size of the flocks. Posters are on display in problem areas and leaflets are available in printed form and on the Council’s website explaining why - even without the additional worries about bird flu - pigeons are a health hazard.
Bexley’s Environmental Health Team says: “The answer is simple: Don’t feed pigeons. Without food the pigeon population would be far smaller. Not only will flocks be reduced to more realistic numbers but the remaining birds will be much healthier.
“Remember also that where there’s scattered food there is often an infestation of rats and mice as well. Rats, mice and pigeons - sometimes dismissed as ‘flying rats’ - carry a range of diseases.”
The team explains that if people want to feed wild birds in their gardens while excluding pigeons from the feast they should use hanging feeders, available from pet shops, which do not let food drop on the ground.
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