Electrician turns down call-outs to holiday homes

LOCAL electrician Stuart Parkinson took expressed his outrage last week after receiving three phone calls from people visiting holiday homes in need of electrical work.

Mr Parkinson, who lives in Hollyfort, told this newspaper that he is happy to serve local customers in need but advised the callers that their issues were not essential and refused to attend as they were not in the primary residence.

‘I’ve lived here for ten years. My wife works on the frontline as a residential care giver and she has been dealing with the crisis directly. This pandemic needs to stop, people need to cop on and take responsibility,’ he said.

‘So when I got those calls – they were minor saying that sockets weren’t working, lights and the immersion – it bugged me and I wouldn’t usually post on social media, but I felt I had to.

‘I was quite surprised by the response, I didn’t put it up for exposure I just wanted to encourage people to stay home and stay safe’.

Stuart said that he made that decision thinking of coastal communities who do not need an influx of visitors that could potentially be spreading the virus.

‘In Blackwater, for example, there’s only one shop open there. Let’s say the shopkeeper got sick and couldn’t operate, that would damage everything for all the locals. Thankfully since those three, I’ve had no more calls. There is a lot of social shaming going on, and I think that’s fair enough and maybe needed so it gets through to people.

‘Usually at this time of year you’d expect to service caravans and that is business I welcome, but just not now,’ he said.