A RELIEVED takeaway boss cut off by bungling telecoms engineers say it is good to talk after the mistake was solved.

Sau Chiu, the owner of the Wing Sing Chinese takeaway in Rainbow Hill, Worcester, was tearing his hair out when Sky engineers mistakenly cut off the customer order number.

Sky initially told him they could not help, as he was not one of their customers – but now the takeaway’s old phone number has been reconnected. BT eventually took over the phone line on Wednesday, February 9, and reconnected it.

Meanwhile Sky say they will discuss compensation with Mr Chiu, who estimates he will be out of pocket by at least £5,000, including loss of earnings and having to re-advertise.

Mr Chiu, who has run the business in Laslett Street for 10 years, said he would wait to hear Sky’s best offer. He said: “It’s difficult to judge at the moment what Sky will say. But it was their mistake and they have to sort it out.”

He says the loss of the phone line for more than two weeks has cost him 95 per cent of his business.

He said: “To grow business back up to where it was before we were cut off is going to be a huge struggle. I’m relying on my old customers’ goodwill to come back to us now that we are available on the old number again.”

Sky has previously said it made an “administrative error” when trying to connect a new phone line to Mr Chiu’s neighbour and got the address wrong.

Because Mr Chiu was not a customer they initially told him there was nothing they could do for him, so he called BT to ‘take over’ his old telephone line.

After your Worcester News contacted Sky, they apologised for the mistake.

Peckish customers can again place their orders on 01905 731666.