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Lydney traders upset over Storm Bert response

BBC Sara Smith in her Lydney café standing front of shelves with plates and milk jugs. She has blonde hair, black-framed glasses and is wearing a green apron.BBC
Café owner Sara Smith said the town council response had been "great", but she hadn't heard from anyone else

A week after a Gloucestershire town was hit by flooding, shopkeepers said they feel let down by the response from their MP and district council.

Lydney, in the Forest of Dean, was flooded when the River Lyd burst its banks during Storm Bert.

"Our town councillor has been coming round to see if everything is OK, but I've not seen anyone else," said Sara Smith from The Bridge Café, which was flooded.

Forest of Dean District Council said it has liaised with the town council "to ensure the correct resources are in place for the safety of residents".

Paul Clark, at Coffee Local, inside Regents Walk Shopping Centre, told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "It's not good - it feels like we're being ignored."

His business wasn't affected by flooding, but he said the damage has stopped customers being able to visit his shop.

Paul Clark inside Coffee Local in Lydney. He has a grey beard and is wearing glasses and a white t-shirt.
Traders, such as Paul Clark, want better communication for shop owners affected by flooding

"Our customers can't get to us, and there's a lack of information," he said.

"We're hearing second-hand information continuously about which roads are re-opening.

"We do feel for people [who have flooded], but we've got a business to run and if something doesn't happen soon, there's going to be a lot of businesses that won't survive Christmas."

There has also been criticism of MP for the Forest of Dean, Labour's Matt Bishop.

A clothing shop, closed until further notice, with dozens of wet boxes and bags of clothes piled on top of each other out the front.
Some stores in Lydney have been temporarily closed by flooding from Storm Bert

Sara Smith is among traders who felt Mr Bishop should have visited.

Fridges, freezers and the carpets were damaged at her café, which she lives above.

She said she faces homelessness if her business goes under.

"It's devastating," she added.

She was visited by a Lydney town councillor but said she has not seen anyone else "that has importance".

"It's quite annoying really because if it wasn't for us putting them in [parliament], they wouldn't have a seat," she said.

Mr Bishop was due to visit Lydney on Monday and said: "I have spoken to the Mayor of Lydney and will be coordinating a multi-agency meeting to look at what went wrong and what improvements can be made."

The football pitches pictured completely flooded, a long with fields surrounding it. A goal is submerged on the right-hand side of the photo and hedges and trees rise from the floodwaters.
Lydney Town Football Club's pitch was completely submerged in the floods

A Forest of Dean District Council spokesperson said it sympathised with people affected by the flooding and councillors and officers had been visiting Lydney "since last Monday", and the authority has also provided free waste collections and skips.

They added: "The council can confirm that the emergency out-of-hours call line was operational on Sunday and that the latest flooding and weather information from the Environment Agency was updated on the Forest of Dean District Council website.

"On Sunday, officers from the Forest of Dean District Council liaised directly with Lydney Town Council throughout the day to ensure the correct resources were in place for the safety of residents, should they be needed.

"We are also reviewing any potential funding opportunities for the sports clubs affected to assist with their recovery."

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