Floods pose challenge for business

By Jon Kelly
BBC News, Gloucester

John Clingham's butcher's shop has stayed open

The flooding which has left most of Gloucestershire without running water has brought misery to thousands of people. But businesses, too, are finding the extraordinary situation a challenge.

They are hardly what you would call ideal commercial conditions.

First came the floods. Then the electricity went, and so too the water supply.

Gloucester may have its power supply back, but the city's dry taps mean local traders are facing a stiff challenge just to keep their doors open.

On Monday when the water ran out the city centre was virtually a ghost town, with many of the high street chains forced to close.

Flexibility

Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, H&M and other major brands were all affected.

Two days on, and a few more have re-opened their doors. But even that symbol of indefatigable consumerism, McDonalds, is still shut.

Stepping into the breach, however, are the city's independent firms.

John Clingham, co-owner of the Farmhouse delicatessen at the heart of the city centre, believes locally run businesses have more flexibility to cope.

It's a bit annoying because people don't expect us to be shut Lesley McIntosh

"People seem grateful that we are still here," he says. "We've had to make some compromises, but we've managed to stay open.

"There's a water tank upstairs, and we've been quite frugal about rationing it.

"And because most of our transactions are in cash we've been better able to get by than the big companies."

By contrast, Lesley McIntosh, 26, the manager of Starbucks on Eastgate Street, is frustrated that the coffee shop has to remain closed.

Because its drinks-making systems have to be shut down, the option of nipping down to a water bowser in the street and then filling a kettle - as many of the town's independent cafes are doing - is not open to her.

Regular deliveries

"It's a bit annoying because people don't expect us to be shut," she says.

"They don't realise that we can't just make a hot drink for them on demand.

"We're still getting regular deliveries of food and water, so we've taken them down to the evacuation centre for people who need them."

The city's supermarkets may have done well out of the crisis, with customers flocking to them to bulk-buy bottled water.

Lucy Hale says getting enough change is a problem

But a problem for both consumers and businesses alike is the fact most banks and building societies have either closed down or are operating on reduced hours.

HBOS is closed, Nationwide is offering a reduced cashier service and the Leeds Building Society is open only between 1100 BST and 1300 BST.

For small firms which rely on cash, it is a major inconvenience.

Lucy Hale, 25, manager of Reflections hairdressing salon, says: "It makes life difficult for us because we need to get change for customers.

"Otherwise, we're coping, but we're having to improvise - for instance, by telling people to wash their hair before they come in to get it cut."

Dawn Dolphin is running out of clean clothes

Despite the reduced opportunities for shopping, the centre of Gloucester is fuller than normal for a weekday.

The school holidays are in full swing and many employees have been sent home from work because of the shortages.

Administration worker Dawn Dolphin, 25, has found herself at a loose end in the city centre with son Isaac, four.

"If we run out of clean clothes for him to wear before the water comes back on, I might have to just buy new ones for him to wear," she says. "I'm sure the chains will do well out of that."

Although the situation might present more obstacles than opportunities, Gloucester's traders are doing their best to return to normal.