An Appleby greengrocers has been left struggling without internet and a phone line for weeks.
Stephenson’s of Appleby, in Boroughgate, has been without internet and broadband since Monday, October 30, when it was accidentally cut off due to an error.
Owner Maurice Walton and shop manager Fay Walton said they have had to resort to using temporary internet and their own mobile phones to contact customers, place produce orders and send invoices.
Maurice added: “It’s almost as bad as turning the electric off. It’s making life extremely difficult and we’re losing money because we can’t possibly ring everybody who might want an order.
“It isn’t just a fruit and veg shop, we do wholesale for businesses around Appleby and we also do home deliveries for people who rely on us and can’t be carrying home heavy vegetables each week.
“They can’t ring to get orders, other customers can’t ring in to place orders and we’re having to use our mobiles to ring out and buy the fruit and veg that we need.
“Everything is done online or on email these days. Even to use our accounting systems we need the internet but we’re stuck without it.
“But I just think the reaction from BT is atrocious really because they’ve caused the problem and only they can fix the problem, but they were refusing to help us.”
The internet and phone service was lost while BT were working on the flat above the shop, which is not connected to Stephenson’s.
Maurice said: “We made the usual calls to try and get it sorted and ended up on the phone all week because BT said it wasn’t our line and wouldn’t speak to us about it.
“They said to us that only our internet service provider Kinex could handle it. Kinex said the line will be reinstated by November 22, so we’re still without any phone line or internet until then and our phone number has disappeared completely and no longer exists.
“I don’t know why they can’t just go back and fix the problem immediately.”
A BT spokeswoman said that the company could only react to orders put in by the shop’s internet provider — causing the delay in action.
She added: “The line was disconnected due to a systems error as part of an order via BT for service in the upstairs flat.
“As Openreach we can only to react to orders placed by communications providers and at the moment we can’t see any order from Mr Walton’s communications provider to reinstate the line.
“As soon as we receive an order from Kinex we’ll escalate the order and get Mr Walton reconnected as quickly as possible.”
Maurice said that he has also contacted the ombudsman at Ofcom to lodge a complaint and has written to Penrith and the Border MP Neil Hudson.
Customers are encouraged to visit the store as normal and place orders via the shop’s temporary mobile number 07968 490660 and contact via email at accounts@stephensonsofappleby.co.uk
