by Keyan Milanian and Jenni Horn

Businesses are counting the cost of power cuts that have hit thousands of homes and firms across Medway.

And energy bosses admit they don’t know what’s causing the chaos.

Among the victims was the Central Theatre, which had to call off a sell-out performance by top comedian Lee Mack.

Many firms have been hit too. Brian Clark, owner of Gillingham tile shop, BC Ceramics, is thousands of pounds out of pocket. Staff were sent home during a two-day cut this month.

He said: “How do you estimate how much we’ve lost? It is in the thousands. We are a significant retailer and we had no phones, we were completely cut off.

“It is so frustrating when you are trying to run a business and it makes you look stupid when you are showing around customers with a torch.”

He told supplier EDF Energy Networks a neighbouring property in Bloors Lane was also without power but was told this was a coincidence.

He has lodged a complaint and was told there would be an investigation. He said: “The call centre did not know what was happening.”

Shaun Whale, 32, who owns Motortex garage, in Solomon Road, Rainham, was without power for more than six hours over two days.

His business, along with others and homes in the area, is now being powered by a generator.

A spokesman for EDF Energy Networks said: “We recognise how important electricity is for all our customers and would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused.

"We are particularly sorry that a performance at the Central Theatre was affected.

“The reliability of power supplies in the South East, including the Medway towns, is very high. Regardless of how much we protect, maintain and improve our network, faults will still occur, often due to reasons beyond our control.

"Underground cables are normally reliable if they’re not disturbed. Common causes of cable faults include vibration and subsidence, and other companies digging nearby.

"Any damage to the cable can allow water in the ground to get in and cause a breakdown, although it may be months before the problem gets bad enough to interrupt power supplies."