Business owner describes flood clean up as a 'complete nightmare'

A shop owner in a Herefordshire village, where floodwaters surged through the town center, has called the aftermath a "complete nightmare." Bennie Krige, who runs Ewyas Harold Village Store and Post Office, said he "spent three straight weeks cleaning" following the flooding.

The village experienced record rainfall during Storm Claudia, causing significant damage to both homes and businesses. Mr. Krige revealed that the losses to his stock exceeded 20,000, most of which had to be discarded.

Despite the devastation, the store has reopened, and Mr. Krige emphasized that residents remain wary of future floods. "Whenever it rains, you think, 'not again.' We've lived here for 20 years, so we know this can happen," he said.

Sharon Lee, from nearby Clodock, described her own flooding ordeal: "Water was pouring through the walls. We tried to fight it with a pump and an aquavac, but it kept coming. By the time I checked the sitting room, the water was six inches deep, eventually reaching around 14 inches, forcing us to retreat upstairs."

To support affected communities, a "Floodmobile" visited Herefordshire this week, including Ewyas Harold, providing advice on protecting properties from flood damage. Flood advisor Mary Long-Dhonau, also known as "Flood Mary," joined representatives from Herefordshire Council and the Environment Agency to meet residents and answer questions.

Ms. Long-Dhonau explained the initiative: "Our goal is to show people how to safeguard their homes and assist in recovery after a flood." She noted that a campaign started in 2022 has helped homeowners incorporate flood resilience measures, with up to 10,000 available on top of insurance claims for those participating in the Build Back Better program.

The recent visits and guidance aim to prepare communities for future storms and encourage proactive flood defenses across the region.

Author: Olivia Parker