Businessesbattle floods for a second time

A BAR owner is at breaking point after being flooded twice in two and a half weeks.

Lesley Wood, who owns b@rplace in Hebden Bridge, has been left counting the cost of the flooding and said she is living with the fear of it happening for a third time.

The premises on Crown Street suffered severe damage when flash floods swept through the Calder Valley on Monday and will need extensive repairs made to it, meaning it will be closed for around five months.

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Lesley said: “It’s just devastating. We’re just at a loss. We just don’t know whether it is going to happen again.”

The property will need new flooring, tables and chairs and Lesley said a large amount of stock had been written off.

She said: “It was about a foot and a half deep in the bar area and the cellar was about four foot deep. We’ve got a boiler room and it’s about 10 foot deep in there.

“We are going to be shut for at least five months. It’s going to take some time. One of the main problems is that it’s going to take a month to dry out.

“We’ve also lost around £5,000 worth of stock.”

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B@rplace was just one of a number of businesses, which were left reeling at the second round of flooding.

Husband and wife John and Clare Spencer received a double blow when their respective businesses in the town centre were both hit.

John, who runs Country Stores in St George’s Square, had to abandon his business when gushing water from Keighley Road came in so rapidly that he decided to evacuate his staff for their own safety. Luckily there was no stock damage and after four hours of cleaning, it was a case of business as usual.

Clare, who has Noir in Bridge Gate, lost £2,000 worth of carpets, fittings and stock - but is confident she will be able to re-open by the weekend.

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Clare, who was helped with the mass clean up effort by local volunteers and shop staff, said: “The volunteers have been fantastic. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Most other businesses in the town’s centre were affected, including SK News, Silly Billys, The Shoulder of Mutton and more.

Innovation, which saw its restaurant area flooded three weeks ago, was hit in the gift shop section. Although three inches of water got through the flood defences, as for most businesses in the area, the major problem was the inch of mud that was left behind.

Assistant manager Vicki Croad said: “It came down from Keighley Road and there was so much water the drains just couldn’t cope. There was nowhere for it to go, so it just came into the shop.”

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Vicki said she expected the business to be up and running before the end of the week.

Other area’s badly hit in Hebden Bridge were Market Street, Albert Street, New Road and Hope Street.

Businesses in Mytholmroyd and Cragg Vale were also left counting the cost of the floods.