Wellingborough floods 'flung the door open as I was tattooing'

A high street found itself resembling a fast-flowing river on Sunday as flash floods surged into many businesses. As a clean-up operation begins, how can traders fight back?

Tattoo artist Robyn Clarke was inking a customer when she "felt a drip from the ceiling".

It was the first sign of a series of "intense" thunderstorms that saw Wellingborough hit by more than a month's rainfall in a hour on Sunday afternoon.

Soon after that first drop, the Mad Tatters parlour in the Northamptonshire market town was under water.

"[It] flung the door open and filled the shop within minutes," said Ms Clarke. "It was insane.

"I was actually tattooing a customer's feet so obviously we were trying to keep him out of the water."

Robyn Clarke was in the middle of tattooing someone when the flood hit

The Environment Agency said the town had been hit by "intense thunderstorms with more than a month's rainfall in an hour on Sunday afternoon".

Forecaster Dan Holley, of Weatherquest, said 30-40mm (1in-1.5in) of rain fell between 16:00 BST and 17:00.

The fire service received 60 calls about the flooding in the town, with other parts of the county hit as well.

Flood water was seen gushing out of the Mad Tatters tattoo parlour

Tattoo parlours were able to reopen in early July following the coronavirus lockdown.

"It's kind of been crazy trying to get it open again and it was all going really well," said Ms Clarke.

"This is going to set us back probably two or three weeks."

She said the shop had since had "countless people ask if they need us to do anything or just to help us clean".

"It's been a very tough year, but all you can do is use it to toughen up. We'll be back and we'll be stronger for it."

Tim Nolan and Val Wilson estimate the damage could cost more than £20,000

For Tim Nolan and Val Wilson, the sight of floodwater gushing into their shop was all too familiar.

The directors of Rutherfords Locksmiths and Engravers, on Wellingborough's Market Street, have been mopping up the damage ever since the downpour.

Their shop was submerged by up to 3ft (91cm) of water.

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Mr Nolan said: "This particular shop we've been in for 35 years... we've been flooded three times, probably four times - three bad ones, definitely.

"I remember one of them I got a phone call. 'Tim, get back to the shop, we're flooded' and I drove my van down the road here and I just lost control.

"It floated all the way the corner and ended up on the side edged up against the shop. That's how bad it's been over the years."

The site had been submerged in up to 3ft (91cm) of water in places

The recovery operation at Rutherfords began on Sunday night, trying to brush away the water after it subsided and clearing up what Mr Nolan described as "black sludge".

"Our warehouse at the back - we haven't even gone to tackle yet. That's in complete disarray, everything is turned upside down."

During the coronavirus lockdown, many of the staff were put on the furlough scheme, and Mr Nolan said the business "survived" through its internet sales.

Rutherfords' store on Market Street has been open for about 35 years

Before the flood, Mr Nolan said they "just started to get a little bit of momentum back with business and getting our regulars back".

Ms Wilson added that they were "only halfway through testing" the machinery in the shop following the flood and already the damage bill could come to more than £20,000.

Mr Nolan said they were confident it would be paid for through insurers, but added: "It's now a matter of mopping up, clearing up and assessing the damage."

Koya Hogor's restaurant has been open for about two weeks since lockdown

Koya Hogor's Turkish restaurant Sultan had only reopened two weeks ago following the coronavirus lockdown.

But the fire service spent five hours pumping water out of the restaurant's cellar on Sunday night.

Mr Hogor uses it for storage, including at least six freezers full of food, and estimates his bill may also come to more than £20,000.

The flood water needed to be pumped out of the restaurant's cellar

The cellar of the restaurant on Cambridge Street was badly damaged in the flood

He called the situation "another nightmare" following the enforced lockdown closure for a restaurant that has been open only 10 months.

"We will be closed for I don't know how long, because I'm waiting for an electrician to check everything because safety is very important... at least we are safe."

The Borough Council of Wellingborough leader Martin Griffiths said he had "huge sympathy" with local businesses for the situation they currently find themselves in.

No-one needed to be housed in emergency accommodation, unlike two weeks ago in the town, when a major fire at the old snooker club forced some residents to temporarily leave their homes.

"I don't know what can hit us next, to be quite honest," Mr Griffiths, a Conservative councillor, said.