Heavy rain still sends flood-hit town 'into panic'

On 25 November 2024, Chippenham experienced its worst flooding in 50 years

A year after devastating floods left a Wiltshire town centre submerged in water, local businesses say they are still "nervous" every time it rains.

On 25 November 2024, Chippenham experienced its worst flooding in 50 years when the River Avon burst its banks in the wake of Storm Bert.

When Storm Claudia hit earlier this month, many worried business owners put out sandbags and raised furniture off floors to avoid further damage.

An Environment Agency (EA) spokesperson said they know how important it is to reduce the town's flood risk and "additional measures" would be brought in to ensure Chippenham's floodgate "operates reliably and safely".

A volunteer who helped a barbershop clean up has been given free haircuts for life

G Hatto, a barbershop on the High Street, was left looking like a "scene from the Titanic" with sofas floating in the water.

Self-employed barber Katy Gray said: "It was an absolute mess with stodgy, muddy leaves but there was no smell, which was really strange.

"But we're all self-employed and we just got stuck in, gutted it out ourselves and moved back in five days after the flooding."

She said staff saved what they could but the "majority of it had to go".

"We had one volunteer who just got stuck in and took stuff to the tip now he's got free haircuts for life," she said.

"But we're still nervous. Every time it rains we keep an eye on the river levels."

'Flood alert panic'

Doorway, a charity based in the town centre that helps homeless people in north Wiltshire, was also devastated by the flooding.

Last month it finally returned to its base following a major fundraising effort.

The charity's CEO Jon Yates said after a year of rebuilding work they were on red alert ahead of Storm Claudia.

"It was a panic [that] weekend being under a flood alert," he said.

"We had to go and get some hydro-snakes and source some sandbags - we put about 30 of them around the front of the building.

"We were quite nervous because we've only just moved back in."

Some local businesses hit by flooding say they get nervous every time it rains

The Chippenham Sea Cadets base, which is next to the river, was also left in "ruins" by flood water.

Volunteer Mark Lewis, said it had been "heartbreaking".

"The water was three feet deep. All our uniforms were written off - they were covered in filthy, dirty water," he said.

"The toilet and shower block had to be demolished."

Despite having a "panic at the weekend" with the forecast of flooding, Mr Lewis said the cadets are still hoping to return to their building early next year

"It's still a builders' site. We can't just go back," he said.

"At the moment we're in the hands of the gods but if we saw the water was getting dangerously high [we would do something about it] - going through that again just doesn't bear thinking about."

The riverside cafe Grounded became an island surrounded by floodwater

Francesca Whitworth, general manager at riverside cafe Grounded, said she only found out the cafe was underwater when staff messaged her to say they could not get down the High Street to work.

"It was a complete shock to be honest, it was really hard to comprehend," she said.

"From the outside we [the cafe] were just an island but incredibly the damage wasn't bad - it could have been far, far worse."

Now, signed up to a flood alert service, Ms Whitworth admitted that staff were a "little bit twitched" ahead of Storm Claudia.

"Now if there's heavy rainfall or flood alerts it sends us into panic: 'Here comes round two'," she said.

"But we're better prepared this time with sandbags."

The aging floodgate is due to be replaced but the Environment Agency says it will continue to operate it this the winter

In the late 1960s, a radial gate was installed on the River Avon to reduce the risk of flooding Chippenham.

But the ageing floodgate has deteriorated in recent years and almost had to be demolished in 2023 when it was jammed by a large tree stump.

The EA is hoping to replace it along with the town's weir with two "rock cascades" as part of the Chippenham Avon Project, in 2028.

In the meantime, the agency said it will "continue to operate" the town's gate this winter.

"We plan to implement additional measures to ensure the gate operates reliably and safely," a spokesperson said.

"These measures include diverting smaller floating debris over the weir to prevent it becoming stuck at the gate and establishing new procedures so any emergency works can be carried out safely and efficiently if needed."