Front Street.

For bank chiefs have found themselves in bad odour with employees -- not to mention customers -- over a lengthy sprucing-up of the bathrooms.

The revamp has involved cleaning sewage pipes in the basement...giving staff above plenty of reasons to be sniffy about their current working environment.

Assistant manager, retail banking, Mrs. Edwina J. Lambert said the bank had tried combating the smell by opening windows and using air fresheners.

But the counter-offensive had only limited success.

"The staff have been very unhappy, and we've taken quite a bit of flak,'' admitted Mrs. Lambert.

Customers, too, have kicked up a stink about the problems.

One fed-up customer moaned: "It is absolutely disgusting. The smell was so strong I had to leave the building.'' And another told The Royal Gazette : "It really has been terrible. There were people in the bank with their hands over their mouths.'' The bank's executive vice president, bank asset management, Mr. James Masters, explained the building was 30 years old, and an overhaul of the bathrooms had been long overdue.

He said a major part of the work involved cleaning pipes in the bank's basement.

"The problem has been with the connection of the bank's sewage system with the system of the Corporation of Hamilton.'' He added: "We are told the worst of the problems are over, and we shouldn't be having any more.'' Mr. Masters stressed the smells were not a health risk.