Strong winds and flooding caused widespread disruption over the weekend, with operators in several areas forced to shut or assess damage.
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Pub overwhelmed by demand
The White Hart Inn in Bouth, Cumbria, teamed up with Electricity North West to provide food, hot drinks and somewhere warm for residents affected by power cuts.
The pub said it saw an “absolutely overwhelming” number of people through its doors and eventually ran out of food.
It added: “Despite the circumstances, it was genuinely lovely to see our community coming together.”
Electricity North West also established welfare hubs at the Sun Inn in Aspatria and other venues across affected areas as engineers worked to restore supplies.
The disruption comes just days after The Morning Advertiser (The MA) highlighted the role pubs continue to play as community lifelines during periods of crisis, from severe weather to supporting isolated residents.
Closures and storm damage
Elsewhere, the New Philly in Blackpool was forced to close after part of its roof was blown off.
The venue said firefighters had helped secure the building, while the surrounding road was closed following the damage.
Macsorley’s in Glasgow city centre also remained shut on Sunday after around three feet of floodwater entered its basement.
The pub said stock had been destroyed, its kitchen damaged and electricity knocked out, forcing planned live music events to be cancelled.
It told customers: “It is a sorry sight but we will be back with a bang.”
The Butchers Arms in Fringford, near Bicester, was also forced to close after a storm-related power cut affected the pub.
The operator said it had attempted to contact customers with Sunday lunch bookings and warned the closure would have a “real impact” on the small business.
The disruption extended to the wider beer sector, with Langham Brewery in West Sussex closing its taproom and shop after losing both electricity and water.
