Reopen for business: Resilient traders bounce back after flooding

After weeks of contending with heavy rain and flash flooding, the swollen River Severn caused even more misery for many businesses lining the county's waterways.

But as the river begins to recede, and clean-up operations are taking place, businesses are reopening their doors to customers.

Many of the workers at Merrythought Village by Dale End in the Ironbridge Gorge are used to navigating the will of the river.

When the barriers go up, Ironbridge Antiques shop assistant Helen Harding said preparations are now a "well organised operation".

The building, which is also home to Something Different By The River Coffee House and Ironbridge Vintage Corner, was closed for two days while the river was at its highest point.

"We have to move everything up to a higher level, we have a lot of stock so you can imagine it takes a good few hours, there's lots of stuff to move," Helen said. "We stack things on pallets and crates to keep them off ground level.

"The water did actually enter the building at the lower level this time, but we've had new pumps installed that kicked in and kept the water to the level of the access ramp so it didn't actually reach the main floor level.

"We never know if the pumps will work, and what tends to happen is the water seeps through the floor - so you still have to move everything.

"But the main shop floor level stayed dry this time - thank goodness. But it still impacts the business of course, because we couldn't open."

The store was left cut off by more than the water this time around, with the road closures along the Wharfage, on Buildwas Road and Jiggers Bank leaving little choice for prospective visitors.

Helen added: "All the roads were closed so it all combined to create a bit of a nightmare for us, but we're back open now and hopefully people will come out and support us."

For Milena Pavlovich, who took over the running of Something Different By The River Coffee House in September, this round of flooding was her first.

"A few months ago the barriers went up," she said, "but it was scarier this time round, not know what was going to happen."

Luckily, she was in good company with the experienced team at Merrythought.

"They're amazing," Milena said. "I had a migraine for days just thinking about it, but they've got it down to a tee. They just get everything up off the floor, they know how far it's going to come in. They're incredible.

"It's my first time and I wouldn't know where to even begin or what to do, they've been so supportive."

Milena said the wider impact on her new business had been a shock: "Once the barriers go up there's no walk-through for customers, we tend to get forgotten about really because if you don't know we're here it's difficult to get through to us.

"I've still got to pay staff, still have overheads, still have rent - it is difficult without that money coming in.

"It's been my first experience, and it's not been a nice one."