One of York’s best-loved shops is operating by torchlight due to a power cut today (Monday).
Parts of Barnitts, on Colliergate, have no electricity. It’s due to nearby electrical work.
The business had been warned of the planned power cut between 9.30am and about 2pm. But staff didn’t know which parts of the hardware store would be affected until it happened.
So Barnitts opened later than usual, at 10am, so they could adapt. Lamps are illuminating the departments hit by the power cut, while staff have torches to guide customers around the darkest spots.
Store manager Sally Ashton told YorkMix: “We’ve managed to run extension cables through with the power sources that we’ve got.
“Thank goodness we’re a hardware store. We’ve got extension cables and torches and everything else.
“And the staff are then guiding customers in areas where we can’t put any light towards. So we’re like usherettes at the moment.”
She added: “We also have electric doors, so we’ve had to prise them open as well.”
Thomas The Baker on King’s Square is also affected and is running a portable generator to keep going.
The message is: we’re still open for business. At Barnitts, Sally said: “We’re still open, but unfortunately we’ve only got two till points, which is in the Cookshop where the Christmas display was, and the garden department.
“But we have got plenty of staff here still to give the advice and help.”
