DISRUPTION linked to the Huddersfield St George’s Square revamp is set to blow a £150,000 hole in the finances of the George Hotel, it was claimed today.

Mark Wakeley, the hotel’s general manager, has spoken out after months of chaos left him with angry guests and daily compensation bills.

After last week’s rash of power cuts took down the hotel’s vital services, Mr Wakeley blasted Kirklees Council and claimed: “We’ve been kept in the dark.”

He said: “We’ve had three or four power cuts, some short, but one was overnight.

“Each time it knocks out our lifts, heating and hot water.

“People are booking for two or three nights but then after one they just go.

“I’ve had to refund dozens and dozens of customers.

“I’ve had to give 50% discounts and free nights, people have been very, very angry.

“The amount of business we’ve lost has been phenomenal.”

Mr Wakeley said the hotel had to fork out hundreds for lift and heating engineers to restore the services and estimated they could be down £150,000 by the time the project is completed in late March.

Earlier this week, a spokesman for Kirklees Council’s regeneration department, blamed the power cuts on Yorkshire Electricity Distribution (YEDL) and Mr Wakeley also slammed the utility company’s unhelpful attitude.

“We rang up to complain about a big hole outside our entrance and we were told they’re allowed five days to fill it in.

“These utility companies seem untouchable,” he added.

A spokesman for CE Electric UK, owners of YEDL, apologised for the power cuts.

He said: “There have been two cable faults in the area that have been affecting the electricity supply.

“Water has been getting into the cables which causes a power cut.

“When the water evaporates the power comes back on.

“The good news is this week we have managed to find both areas of damaged cable and permanent repairs have now been done.”

Kirklees Council leader, Clr Mehboob Khan, said the previous Conservative administration had failed to include any penalty clauses to keep the square’s contractors in line.

Clr Khan apologised for the problems and said his cabinet would investigate potential avenues of compensation.

Oct 2007: The £4m square facelift is revealed but plans to relocate the iconic statue of former PM Harold Wilson upset Lady Wilson and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The Examiner is flooded with letters protesting against the plan.

May 2008: Work begins but plans to move the statue to outside the Head of Steam are scrapped.

June 2008: Regeneration chief, Clr Ken Sims, claims the project will be finished by October.

July 2008: Clr Christine Stanfield fails to block use of £215,000 of pink Chinese Granite.

November 2008: 11-tonne Harold Wilson statue is moved nearer to John William Street.

February 2009: Kirklees Council admit the project is two months behind schedule but claim it will be completed in March.