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A top London chef is being sued by a guest who was kept awake at night by banging heating pipes in a holiday cottage next to his Michelin-starred restaurant.
Michel Roux is fighting a claim lodged by a millionaire who stayed in a cottage next to his renowned Waterside Inn at Bray, Berkshire, on the Thames.
Kevin Andrews, a property developer, claims he and his wife Camilla were kept awake all night by noisy heating problems that were like "something from a Carry On film".
He is seeking a £550 refund for the cost of their stay in the cottage in June last year and £200 damages. The 45-year-old from Moor Park, Berkshire, told the Standard: "The food in the restaurant was fine but there were some really strange noises coming from the heating in the cottage."
Mr Andrews claims he struggled to turn off an air conditioning unit that woke him several times. And the cottage's radiator pipes started banging.
He added: "It got louder and louder, until it was like a whooshing and gurgling. We got rid of it by turning the heating on but that made it too hot. I spent £550 on the cottage and about £300 on our meal, that is a serious amount of money for an evening. I could have got a better night's sleep in a Travelodge.
"He [Mr Roux] offered to send my wife a bunch of flowers or to give us a bottle of champagne. It was at that point I decided to take it further. I didn't think that was a reasonable way of settling it."
A hearing is due to be held at the Mayor's and City of London county court Basinghall, Moorgate, today. Mr Roux and his legal representatives were unavailable for comment.
Reader views (5)
How much will this idiot's legal costs be? more than £500 + £200.
hope he pays le Roux's costs of defence as well.
looks like property isn't making "kev" money - so he's turning his hand to legal remedies - maybe he can get a BATH degree in law?
- Tricky, london, 05/06/2009 14:42
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What a plonker!
Kev “the millionaire” with an ENGINEERING DEGREE from Bath can’t even work the controls on a simple air conditioning and the central heating. Poor old Kev, he struggles to find the ON/OFF button.
No wonder his claim was chucked out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Jeff Lochaber, Scotland, 03/06/2009 22:31
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actually the goodwill gesture should have been enough. he shouldnt get remibursed for the whole meal - plus an additional sum for what???? a bad nights sleep. poor little rich man cannot do without his nights sleep - maybe he could have filled his time doing something more intersting instead. like paying attention to his wife rather than the air conditioning unit... MEN!
- Rachroo, London, SE, 03/06/2009 13:45
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He's an idiot. Wasting all this time on this trivial lawsuit is bound to give him even more sleepless nights. Stubborn man.
- Jonathan, London., 03/06/2009 12:55
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How many times have we all lain awake in hotels because of the quandry "turn on the aircon, too noisy, turn it off and it's too hot", and how many of us have ever sued over it? None I'll wager.
What I don't understand is that the pipes would only knock if they were expanding or contracting, which would suggest the heating was on or had just been turned off, if the heating was off as he seems to be suggesting then I fail to see how they were banging at all, unless of course he's suggesting they were haunted?
- Bob, Cheam, 03/06/2009 11:56
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