Asian art dealer Kevin Page, who has been trading from his gallery Kevin Page Oriental Art since 1968, is clearing out his shop and attempting to save valuable stock.
He said: “We had five feet of water with floating porcelain vases. It was like a tsunami. Our furniture is completely submerged.”
The two main rooms of his gallery are badly damaged and the ceiling had fallen in on his basement. He expects he won’t be able to reopen until February. The flooding is expected to have caused millions of pounds of damage to traders.
He added: “We are still trying to assess the damage. We have no lights and no electricity so it is very difficult to see how bad the damage has been on specific objects.”
His stock is being packed up to be stored at his shippers William & Hill.
Third Time
He added: “This is all down to Thames Water. This is the third time in my career this has happened but this is the worst it has been.”
The same water pipe burst in 2005 and 1996 in Angel, Islington.
Frank Johnston who runs jewellery, antiques and collectables shop Esme with his wife in Pierrepont Arcade in Camden Passage, said: “It is like turning up for work and being made redundant – we can’t trade. We are on our hands and knees trying to clean the mud off everything. We are planning to open on Saturday if we can clean things up.”
Market Edge in Camden Passage has been unaffected and the Twitter account for Camden Passage confirmed tonight’s late-night Thursday opening would go ahead for “those able” until 8pm.
Late night opening tonight to 8pm for those able in flood hit Camden Passage and carol singers in Islington Green. Support your local shops pic.twitter.com/wLvmpwWTtD
— Camden Passage N1 (@CamdenPassageN1) December 8, 2016
Dozens of residents were evacuated from their homes on Monday after the pipe burst and the flood began.
Thames Water’s loss adjustors are in discussion with residents and businesses affected by the flooding.
