Cwmbran shopping centre left in darkness after clocks change

A shopping centre was left in darkness after the clocks went back as the lights were not adjusted for shorter daylight hours.

Chip shop boss Rob Strinati said he finishes work at 20:30 GMT and the lights in Cwmbran’s Fairwater Square were not on by then, despite it starting to get dark at about 16:00.

The clocks went back an hour on 26 October, but the problem was not resolved until 12 November – 17 days later – with Mr Strinati saying: “If it actually is, as I presume, set to the summer lighting it still wouldn’t come until about 9:30pm but with the discrepancy in the hour it most probably doesn’t come on until 10:30pm.”

Torfaen council has been approached for comment.

Mr Strinati said he made numerous phone calls and sent emails to the council’s property managers, who are responsible for the precinct.

In previous years, when lighting had not been reset with the clocks going back, he said the council had “quickly” dealt with it.

This time, it took more than two weeks for the problem to be fixed, with Mr Strinati saying he did not get any response.

Mr Strinati, who owns Fairwater Fish Bar, said it was “intimidating to walk around the corner in the pitch black” and the lack of light posed a safety risk.

He added: “It is pitch black from around 4:30 to 5 and with the leaves underfoot and it being wet, it deters anyone from waiting to come to the area and is unfair to residents and shopkeepers.”

At a recent meeting, Fairwater councillor Rose Seabourne said the clocks in the council chamber in Pontypool had not been put back and were still an hour ahead.