A provisional list of businesses impacted by the flood directly in Downpatrick
Having talked to many business people in Downpatrick, and their customers, I sensed their pain and anquish in the aftermath of the flood and like many people wanted to help but felt quite powerless writes Jim Masson.
I realised that there was a need to create a picture of the very fluid situation regarding who was open, or closed, or part open etc. So I hope this spreadsheet helps towards creating a better understanding of the flood’s real impact.
It took quite a bit of time to put together and it may not even be totally accurate. I will update in in a few days and find a way to improve the print quality which is a bit blurry.
If any business person finds the details are incorrect, please contact me and I will update them asap.
Please note this is copyrighted and I will update it as amendments come in.
Also, I will re-order the businesses into ‘Streets’ as much as possible and in alphabetical order. So this is only a first effort and hopefully the next one will read better.
I calculate at the moment about 23 businesses closed and not trading due to the flood – coming up to Christmas. This is a severe blow to the Downpatrick economy and no amount of local fundraising is likely to make a significant dent in the needs of the local traders stricken by the flood.
The flood will directly or indirectly affect us all in different ways and will likely have a legacy for years to come.
Only a decent level of financial support will get many of these businesses back up and running again properly in the long-term. Some will inevitably not survive because of the difficult trading circumstances.
Water levels in some premises were almost 5-feet deep causing major damage to property, fabric and equipment.
Many traders did not have flood insurance saying that they could not get cover for this. So they will face bills for repairs, refurbishments, replacing machinery etc, and restocking. One business in Market Street said £100,000 might do it but he was uncertain a few days ago.
If I have missed any traders please get in touch and I’ll include you in the updates
Tel: 07855545873 : 028 44 615690. Or email jim@downnews.co.uk
See a selection of flood photos from Downpatrick on Down News Facebook
