The operator of Lady's Mile Holiday Park in Dawlish Warren, Devon, has criticised South West Water over an "unbelievable pong" that has affected the site for years. Operations manager Stephen Brown said the sewage smell occurred intermittently in part of the park, forcing some visitors to leave when it arose. He said the business had contacted South West Water about the problem over a number of years but the issue had been "ignored".
South West Water said in a statement that work at a treatment works in the area had caused "some temporary smells", but it had also investigated the possibility the smell could be coming from elsewhere.
Brown said the smell was "only sporadic but it happens a fair few times in the year", lasting a day or several days in a row. He said South West Water had been repeatedly contacted about the issue. "They're just ignoring it," he said. "It's affecting our business, it's affecting the touring side of the business and has done for about five years. During that time frame we have people that have decided to leave because of it and it's just not on… we're just not being told anything from South West Water."
The Environment Agency said it had not received any reports of odour in the Dawlish Warren area. It said any odour coming from a regulated activity such as a sewage treatment works should be reported.
Martin Wrigley, Liberal Democrat MP for Newton Abbot, said the smell "hits you in the nose". "I wouldn't want to have my holiday spoiled by this smell. When we got out of the car, the pong here was just unbelievable," he said. He said South West Water had previously dealt with a blockage in the area. "It did get better for a little bit but to have this continuing on for basically five years is just unacceptable. You get out of the car and you think, 'Oh my goodness – have I stood in the middle of a field where a farmer is spreading muck?' No, it's the sewage processing plant across the road from here and it's really not good enough."
Rosie Dawson, Devon county councillor for Dawlish Parish, said she was "appalled" that the problem persisted over years. She said: "We have this foul smell still and this lack of communication to this huge business, it's the heart of Dawlish."
Holiday Park Endures Years of Unbearable Sewage Pong