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Dome roof springs leaks
00:00 01 Jun 2000
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by Tim Wood
The Millennium Dome has been hit by yet another setback. Its £12m roof has sprung a series of leaks.
Although the roof was meant to last 25 years, holes have appeared just five months after the £758m building opened. It has been estimated that £100,000 will have to be found to carry out repairs.
A spokesman for Dome operator the New Millennium Experience Company confirmed that there were a number of holes as a result of either the Teflon material being damaged during transportation from America or during construction.
He added: "There are a few dozen holes. Five or six, the size of dinner plates, were caused during construction. These have now been sealed. The rest are coin sized or smaller and they are being repaired as part of a rolling programme of maintenance. It is nothing major as far as we are concerned."
The roof was made by Birdair, the Japanese-American roofing company, which is likely to have to foot any repair bill. However, arguments over liability could start if the damage was caused after the roof was fitted. Allegations that there had also been leaks through three defective seals between some of the roof's 144 panels were denied by the NMEC.
The latest revelation came at the end of a turbulent week for the controversial building in Greenwich, south London. Dome chief Bob Ayling resigned, there was public outcry when NMEC was awarded a further £29m of Lottery money and its architect Lord Rogers accused the project of "a lack of leadership meaning it was always doomed to failure".
The Millennium Dome has been hit by yet another setback. Its £12m roof has sprung a series of leaks.
Although the roof was meant to last 25 years, holes have appeared just five months after the £758m building opened. It has been estimated that £100,000 will have to be found to carry out repairs.
A spokesman for Dome operator the New Millennium Experience Company confirmed that there were a number of holes as a result of either the Teflon material being damaged during transportation from America or during construction.
He added: "There are a few dozen holes. Five or six, the size of dinner plates, were caused during construction. These have now been sealed. The rest are coin sized or smaller and they are being repaired as part of a rolling programme of maintenance. It is nothing major as far as we are concerned."
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The roof was made by Birdair, the Japanese-American roofing company, which is likely to have to foot any repair bill. However, arguments over liability could start if the damage was caused after the roof was fitted. Allegations that there had also been leaks through three defective seals between some of the roof's 144 panels were denied by the NMEC.
The latest revelation came at the end of a turbulent week for the controversial building in Greenwich, south London. Dome chief Bob Ayling resigned, there was public outcry when NMEC was awarded a further £29m of Lottery money and its architect Lord Rogers accused the project of "a lack of leadership meaning it was always doomed to failure".
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