Newry and Downpatrick businesses still waiting for flood support

Months on from flooding which decimated large parts of the centres of Newry and Downpatrick, some of those affected are still waiting for cash support.

In the aftermath of floods in October a £15m package was announced to help businesses keep their heads above water.

But as time drags on, many are beginning to question how slowly the money is being rolled out.

The Department for the Economy said it was working to deliver support.

An initial £7,500 grant was available to businesses deemed eligible which, according to the department, to date has been paid to 143 businesses across three council areas.

That equates to £1,072,500 of the £15m fund.

Some businesses, for example those with flood insurance, were deemed ineligible so they did not receive this payment.

In the week before Christmas, details of a second round of funding were announced.

Stormont's Executive Office said this would be worth up to £100,000 per affected business and open to some of those who missed out on the initial £7,500 payment.

The announcement stated that "further information on how to apply for the support will be available in early January".

Fast forward to 25 January and businesses in Newry and Downpatrick are still waiting for this information.

"We wait patiently but I haven't heard a dicky bird yet," said Paul McCartan inside his shoe and sports shop in Downpatrick.

"We could be doing with the cash injection and notification to let us know where we stand.

"We have compressed our two units into one and are grateful that we have been able to do that. Our other unit is completely bare and really we would like to figure out when we could get it open.

"Are they going to give us help, are they not going to give us help? There has been absolutely no word as of yet."

A walk through the centre of Downpatrick reveals a multitude of drawn shutters on the premises of both independent and large well-known stores.

Many damaged units are still being gutted.

"I'd say probably 50% are still closed," Mr McCartan said.

"We noticed that on the run up to Christmas our hardcore customers stayed with us but unfortunately there was no passing trade and to make a business succeed you need passing trade.

"This is why the government funds are essential."

One of those who missed out on the initial £7,500 payment was Shelley Teggart.

She owns two shops in the town but has had to relocate to a temporary premises at the top of Market Street.

She has flood insurance, but it has not yet paid out.

"In terms of insurance there are intricacies within that have to be assessed," she said.

"We have to prove our loss. Therefore the timescale is extended. So we haven't to date received any payment."

She added: "We did get word before Christmas, we were optimistic that we could receive some funding in the second round having been excluded in the first round but that scheme hasn't opened yet.

"It has been a long three months. We have lost our busiest quarter of the year. Christmas trade was compromised.

"The loss of attraction for Downpatrick with so many big stores closed and so many independent retailers moved to temporary locations meant that we lost a good proportion of our Christmas trade."

One of those big stores, Asda, has been closed since the flood.

On Thursday afternoon a temporary store will open adjacent to the now abandoned building.

Although smaller than the original Asda, businesses in the town are hopeful that it will improve overall footfall.

In Newry there is a larger commercial centre and many businesses found it easier to find alternative premises after the area around Sugar Island flooded.

The city's large multi-national stores also escaped relatively unscathed.

But for the independent traders who have been able to reopen there has still been a noticeable decline in footfall as they await the vibrancy of a full high street.

"We got through it and got opened fairly quickly," said Brendan Downey of Friar Tucks restaurant.

"But others didn't, others relocated but we need them back on the street to get it rocking and rolling again.

"I think money is the problem and if it was released we would get more of those shutters up and the street back to normal.

"Invoices have been rolling in. Some have been paid, others still need to be paid. We've other stuff on order that needs to be paid for as well but we just want back to normal."

Eamonn Connolly, who heads up Newry Business Improvement District, agreed that getting funding out to those who needed it was crucial.

"Three months on and we aren't really much wiser," he said.

"Most businesses have only received £7,500.

"We have anecdotal feedback that a further phase will be released imminently and we really hope it is because for the last three months businesses have been surviving on the goodwill of their suppliers and on their own savings.

"It isn't just repair work but operating costs. People also need the confidence that they can reinvest and book workers.

"Then there's the more fundamental question as to how we prevent this happening again."

The Department for the Economy said that it was "working closely with the district council on the details of the follow-up scheme to assist the most severely affected small and medium-sized businesses".

"We have also been looking at how we design the details of the support scheme to address some of the issues that have been raised with us by businesses and local representatives to make sure that it will effectively deal with the realities on the ground," a spokesperson said.

"The business case for the scheme, which is required as a condition of the Treasury's allocation of funding, is currently being developed."

They added that the scheme would open for applications when approval from the Treasury had been secured.

They also said 100% rates relief up to 31 March for flooded properties and temporary accommodation was being provided.