Shoe business to close after being hit by flooding

The store was forced to discard 3,000 pairs of shoes damaged by flood water

The owners of a shoe business severely damaged by flooding announced they have been forced to close their store due to ongoing insurance claim issues.

Dave and Donna Hammond, of Castle Shoes in Framlingham, Suffolk, had to dispose of 3,000 pairs of shoes after Storm Babet devastated their rented premises in October 2023.

They had hoped to reopen next year but said due to "continuing difficulties, we have had to take the heartbreaking decision to close Castle Shoes permanently".

The storm led to 800 homes and businesses being flooded.

The shop started to flood before noon on 20 October

In a post on Facebook, Mrs Hammond said they have struggled to resolve their insurance claim and had taken their case to the insurance ombudsman.

"As a a result of the continued difficulties, we have had to take the heartbreaking decision to close Castle Shoes permanently.

"This has not been an easy decision. We have lost 318 days of trading that we will never be able to recover from."

"The Covid lockdowns were a challenge, but these were overcome, and our business was getting back on track until the devastation caused by Storm Babet," the store added.

Dave and Donna Hammond had been hoping to reopen next year

The store owners said they had been advised when pursuing their insurance claim over damaged stock that it could take 12-18 months to be resolved.

Mrs Hammond and her husband had tried to put sandbags around the shop before the council made them evacuate on 20 October due to the high water levels.

On returning to their store they found boxes and shoes had become mouldy in the damp conditions and they were forced to discard 3,000 pairs for recycling.

A report into severe flooding caused by Storm Babet released in July said blockages in rivers and channels needed to be removed to prevent future disruption.