Flood-damaged Leicester dental practice still shut after storm

Beautiful Smiles, in Leicester, was damaged during Storm Henk

A dental practice that was severely damaged by flood water during Storm Henk is still closed six weeks later.

Beautiful Smiles in Victoria Park Road, Leicester, was damaged when the storm hit the UK in January.

The business said it had not been able to start the clean-up process because it had not been signed off by their insurance company.

Insurance company AXA said it had provided an interim payment of £40,000 while the claim was analysed.

The private dental practice was evacuated when flood water breached the front door on 2 January.

Thousands of pounds of equipment was damaged and the building was left unusable.

Dentist, Dr Nora Albaldawi, said: "We don't know when they're going to clean up and strip out. We can't even book anything for rebuilding.

"We didn't even have someone to assess the content so that we can remove it."

Dentist, Dr Nora Albaldawi, said the building was evacuated when flood water hit in January

The practice, which also carries out cosmetic work, said one piece of equipment worth £50,000 was also damaged.

Dr Albaldawi said the practice was renting out a room at another dentist so it could continue to offer treatment, but were only able to see about a quarter of its usual patients.

The neighbouring Victoria Park Health Centre, which treats about 26,000 patients, was also damaged by the flood water.

A clean-up operation is under way, but of the 23 rooms in the building, only six are ready for use.

Insurance company AXA - who only cover the contents of the building - says it "sympathises with the situation" Dr Nora Albaldawi is experiencing.

"An interim payment of £40,000 has been made to Dr Albaldawi this week and her appointed loss assessor will continue to document and submit the ongoing business losses and contents which are being claimed for," a spokesperson said.