A POWER CUT sparked chaos for two hours as it shut down a town centre.

The blackout affected businesses in Braintree, with 1,900 EDF Energy customers left without power. It caused problmes for banks, shops and a hotel, which was hoping to serve 60 guests.

Roads affected included Bank Street, Rayne Road, Bocking End, Coggeshall Road, Drury Lane, Great Square, Little Square and Leather Lane.

Manager of the White Hart hotel in Bank Street, Steve Bryan, said their food was saved in the end. He said: “In another hour it would have been difficult, but we managed to rescue the situation.”

The power cut occurred while the hotel was having new equipment fitted in the bar and an overhaul of its hot water system.

A member of staff at Holland and Barrett, in Bank Street, who asked not to be named, said: “We lost business. The lighting was not enough to let people look round the store properly.”

Despite not having any electricity, patients at St Lawrence Medical Practice, in Bocking End, were still seen by doctors. Receptionist Janet Woulfe said: “It was more an inconvenience than anything.”

The power cut was first noticed at 8.30am last Thursday.

Tracey Sparling, spokesman for EDF Energy, said power was interrupted due to a fault on a high voltage, underground cable.

She said power was restored to the majority of customers by 10am, and to the remaining 291 customers by 11.30am.