AN Evesham businessman is threatening to withdraw his business rates because he says smells from an effluent treatment plant are hitting his trade.

Joe Davin, who runs the diving company Joe Diver on the Four Pools estate, claims smells from the Evesham Food's off-site sewage treatment plant are making it impossible for his staff to work.

The claim is denied by staff at Evesham Foods, and Wychavon environmental health officers say that following inspections they are satisfied with the management of the treatment plant.

Mr Davin, who employs four people, said: "When the smell starts I have to close my operation down and send my staff home."

He added that the smell could sometimes make his day-to-day work impossible. "We pump gas into containers, but when the stench gets so bad our filters draw in the bad air and I cannot put that into diving cylinders."

He said that he had even kept a log detailing the times that the smells affected his business. "I have been in touch with Wychavon but all they do is send an inspector who sniffs the air and walks away again.

"I am threatening to withdraw my business rates. I can not see what else I can do."

Geoff Carpenter, environmental protection officer at Wychavon council, said: "We have been investigating Mr Davin's complaints for several months and have rarely witnessed strong odours emanating from the sewage treatment plant.

"Where odours have been witnessed this has been due to equipment breakdown and was dealt with at the time.

"We are not aware of any existing problem at the moment but when complaints are received we will investigate as quickly as we can."

Paul Anderson, engineering manager at Evesham Foods, said he had nothing to add to the findings of the inspectors.

"Environmental health officers have been on the site on a number of occasions and have been satisfied with the way we manage the plant."