Business gets flood of help after deluge

They were devastated when their fledgling business was flooded in a freak monster rain event in a Co Cork town just over two weeks ago.

But yesterday, they were swamped by customers and flooded with good wishes as they reopened their revamped shop.

“It’s been a tough two weeks but it’s great to be back in business,” Maura Horgan said.

She and her business partner Eleanor Dunlea ploughed their own cash into opening the children’s clothes shop Lollipop Kids just off Midleton’s main street, last September.

They were devastated when it was swamped by flood water after a freak deluge on Jun 6 dumped more than a month’s rainfall on the town in just a few hours.

Lollipop Kids was one of several businesses in and around Roxboro Mews that suffered thousands of euro-worth of flood damage. “It was a disaster,” Maura said.

“But we pulled ourselves together and promised that we wouldn’t be out of business for too long.

“We had to completely refurbish the shop. And the town council didn’t come near us at any stage.

“But we’re back in business and we have a 50%-off sale for the next few weeks, at least.”

The county council has asked consultants working for the Office of Public Works to examine why the town flooded so quickly.

The town council said at the time that the combination of heavy rains and a high tide in the Owencurra River resulted in river levels rising above the exit levels of drains, which in turn led to water backing up on to the street.

There was also an issue with some drains at the southern end of the town where there is a small section of combined water and foul water drains which got backed up, causing foul water waste and some sewage to wash back up drains.