Second flooding still will not keep shop down

Owners of a Bury St Edmunds shop, which is still closed weeks after a flood caused by a leak at the pub above the business, hope to reopen soon.

Loft and Spires, which was opened nine years ago by Julian Milton and Romy Abraham, was flooded on July 25 after a keg water pipe from the Wetherspoons above them corroded.

The reopening date of the shop is still undecided but they say they are definitely coming back.

Mr Milton said: “People think we are closing down but that is just simply not the case.

“If the pipe is sorted out this week we can get the clearing up done asap and start to get dehumidifiers in to dry the place out.”

The owners were away in Indonesia when they received a text message.

Mr Milton said: “When we got back we dropped our bags off and went straight to the shop.”

The damage included one to two inches of water on the floor, stock damage as well as a crack in the concrete ceiling.

Mr Milton said: “In this very difficult situation you have to be pragmatic even though it is quite devastating.”

Staff from the shop, Wetherspoons and other neighbouring businesses helped to clear up the water when disaster struck.

Mr Milton said: “We are so thankful that they were there to stop the damage getting any worse. We are just upset for our staff and customers.”

A spokesman from St Edmundsbury Council, which rents out the premises, said: “We have been out to inspect the property and to see what assistance we can give. The flood resulted from equipment directly relating to the operations of Wetherspoons. Any repairs, loss of business or damaged stock, will now be a matter for insurance claims by the individual tenants.”