A business centre has been left without phone and internet access for almost two weeks, after strong winds knocked over several telephone poles.

Hobbs Cross Business Centre, in Hobbs Cross Road, Epping, houses 18 different companies which have now been affected by the storm damage.

The effects of the storm, on Monday October 28, damaged telephone lines running from Theydon Bois to the Hobbs Cross area, with staff at the centre being told they would not be reconnected for at least two weeks.

A BT spokesman told the Guardian that a temporary measure has already been put in place to rectify the problem.

However Steve Arnold, managing director of United Technologies UK, which rents a space at the centre, said: "I don't know why BT are saying the centre is connected again because I can tell you it is not.

"It has been an absolute nightmare. So far it has cost us over £6,000 since losing the connection.

"We have had to fork out for IT services, new routers, mobile phone contracts and we have have lost a substantial amount of business.

"BT say they offer a small amount of compensation - somewhere in the region of £5 per day if you are disconnected, but that is pennies.

"It is ok for us who can afford to pay out for other services, but for smaller companies in the centre, it is just a disaster."

Site manager Norman Clark said the centre was still without a connection and is unhappy with the way BT has dealt with the situation.

Mr Clark said: “The whole thing has been a real nuisance and I find it appalling the way BT has dealt with it.

“Someone in the area told me they were going to take at least two weeks to fix it, and now we have been told there is a temporary measure in place, but as of yesterday there was still no internet connection.

“The loss of internet and phone lines is a big issue for these businesses. A few days is fine, but when you are talking weeks that’s when problems start to kick in and affect these people financially.”

The BT spokesman said: “We have a fault in the area that requires a significant amount of engineering works to replace poles, several sections of aerial cable as well and also work needs to be carried out to underground jointing.

“I’m told however that we have been successful in restoring services to the business park via a temporary solution.

“The main works is traffic sensitive and we have an agreed traffic management solution which starts on Tuesday for four days in which we are hoping to carry out the large amount of works to put in a permanent solution.”