Floods: pubcos and breweries give their experiences
Derek Andrew, managing director, Marston's Inns & Taverns: "A hundred of our pubs, across both tenanted and managed estates, have been seriously affected. The crisis ranges from pub flooded and no water or electricity; pub flooded but still trading; pub open but car park flooded so no-one can drive to it and park nearby; through to pub perfectly OK but customers are flooded out and can't get to it."
Neil Martin, Punch's legal director: "A number of our leased and managed pubs have been affected. We are aware of around 140 cases from recent floods, but that number will rise as more incidents are reported."
David Elliott, managing director, Greene King Pub Partners: "A number of our pubs have experienced flooding in varying degrees. Most pubs involved have suffered damage to cellars or are not operational due to the unavailability of fresh water. We envisage that only a very small number will have suffered extensive internal damage."
Paul Sullivan, marketing manager of Wadworth: "We have 20 pubs affected, around 10 per cent of our estate. It's more that they have no utilities. We are in the process of filling casks with water to deliver to our pubs. We have a plan to get water to pubs as we have tenants and managers stuck there."
Lynne D'Arcy, joint managing director, Admiral Taverns: "We have 18 pubs affected. It's the knock-on effect - there is a lack of electricity and fresh water. Either that or no-one can get to the pubs so they have no trade."
James Clarke, Hook Norton Brewery managing director: "The two retained firefighters who work here were called to other locations on Friday. So when we saw our cellar at the brewery was flooding, we decided to press the old fire engine into service - it hadn't been used for pumping for a few years, but worked first time, and by 6pm we were clear - on balance, we escaped very lightly."
Roland Elliott-Berry, Battledown Brewery, Gloucestershire: "It's been quite dramatic really, we can't brew, we are completely without water now, also the pubs around us are closed. We do have electricity but not water, there are some without both. The water went off on Monday, and will be off for about a fortnight. It's caused major problems."
Don Bridgeman, Brakspear chief executive: "We have had some flooded cellars in about half a dozen of our 150 pubs which some have been able to deal with, and a couple of pubs we are currently refurbishing have had water coming in through the roof. We've had our maintenance staff providing sandbags and so on."
Simon Townsend, chief operating officer, Enterprise Inns: "We are doing a hell of a lot of work to assist, but it's not just about pubs directly hit by flooding. There are some pubs that have fresh water and electricity supply issues and accessibility problems."
