Heavy rain in East Anglia forces licensees to close
Less than a year after flooding forced many pubs to close, severe rain has again affected the trade.
East Anglia has been hit by the worst floods in 20 years, with rivers in Essex and Cambridgeshire the most badly affected.
Pubs, businesses and homes in Halstead, near Braintree in Essex, were cut off when the River Colne burst its banks, dissecting the high street and leaving parts of the village accessible only by boat or on horseback.
Scenarios, a pub close to the Colne, was forced to shut when the river flooded, and other pubs in the town were also affected.
In nearby Chappel, also on the River Colne, the Swan (pictured) was flooded and forced to shut its doors to customers.
Yet, the licensee of one Halstead pub said her trade had actually increased as traffic ground to a halt in the town, but she admitted she had been very lucky.
"We were lucky to avoid it all," she said. "Scenarios is very near the river and it's in a mess - it's still closed. The water has gone down now and I just hope it won't happen again."
But businesses and home-owners in East Anglia were bracing themselves for more floods as further heavy rain was forecast across the South of England and the Midlands.
The Environment Agency last week issued all three levels of its flood warnings. Its highest category, where there is "imminent danger to life and property" was issued to one area of Cambridgeshire and two in Essex.
Last year pubs in the north of England and on the south coast were hit by the devastating floods. Some pubs in the worst-affected areas were flooded more than once, costing licensees thousands of pounds in damage and lost trade.
As this article was posted, forecasters at the Meteorological Office were predicting widespread rain and thunderstorms.