Flood clean-up continues

The clean-up from the recent floods was continuing for licensees this week with one pub owner moving his cellar upstairs to escape future damage.

Alan Jane, owner of the Crown and Cushion in Burncross near Sheffield, has been forced into the move after the pub was badly hit by floods in June - and was hit again by rising waters last month.

The cellar has flooded twice in the last two weeks and every time there is heavy rain there is danger of further damage. Refrigeration equipment, ice machines and remote coolers will now be moved to the ground floor as part of an extensive redevelopment of the pub.

Jane, who is president of the Barnsley Licensed Victuallers' Association and treasurer of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations (FVLA), said: "It's costing quite a bit, but it's something that we need to do. We can't afford to be worried every time we have 24 hours of rain.

"We are altering the pub anyway. But while we are doing that, we are trying to get away from this constant water problem."

Several other pubs in the South Yorkshire area were damaged by the recent bad weather.

Jane, who owns independent multiple operator Factgold Ltd, said another of his pubs only just escaped the threat after sandbags managed to prevent water entering.

The Junction in Barnsley, South Yorkshire reopened on December 22, after flood waters in June last year left the car park under 12 foot of water and washed away outbuildings causing £300,000 worth of damage.

Outbuildings at the pub are not being replaced in order to allow water a clear path to run through should waters rise again.