just weeks before Christmas

Traders face uncertainty

- Twm Owen spoke to business owners and residents in Monmouth after the town was hit with the worst flooding it had seen in decades

TRADERS and residents in Monmouth face an uncertain future days before Christmas after seeing their homes and businesses swept away in the quaint town's most severe flooding in decades.

Much of the town, popular with tourists at this time of year, was left underwater when the River Monnow burst its banks and surged through the main thoroughfare during the early hours of Saturday, November 15, after prolonged torrential rain brought by Storm Claudia.

Some business owners like Martin and Andrea Sholl at Bar 125 - had been in Monmouth for a matter of weeks and were starting to get up and running approaching the town's busiest period when the floods hit.

They'd purchased the building and completely renovated it just 12 weeks ago, but it's now a shell of its former self and they've been told their insurance won't cover the cost of the destruction.

Mr Sholl said: "I've been doing all the physical stuff, trying to get everything back up and operating while my wife has been on the BBC, ITV news and the morning shows."

He described how Mrs Sholl remains in discussions with insurers, although the establishment has achieved a partial reopening.

"First of all it was a straight 'no' but now it is going through the details and they've said they'll have to get the underwriters to check the drafting."

The pair had invested £250,000 in renovating what had been an empty pub. They calculate the flood destruction has cost them an equivalent sum, including £10,700 worth of provisions that were stored in their refrigerators.