Pool game must go on at Bridgnorth pub even as River Severn floods

The Foster's Arms, in Mill Street, is an earthy kind of place with only rolls on the menu but a selection of real ales and beers that can oil the grittiest of palates, and it's something landlord David Brown is proud of.

"Pool players came into the bar and said the water was coming in under the doors," said David, aged 56, who is Bridgnorth's longest serving landlord with 36 years under his belt.

"But they kept playing and got away with it until we had to close the pub at 11pm on Tuesday."

By that time David's beer garden, which overlooks the river and the bridge, had been well and truly submerged as the waters inexorably crept up to 5.11m at 12.15am. It was thankfully short of the 5.26m all time record set in November 2000.

David keeps a watchful eye on the Environment Agency website and knew what was coming his way following the massive floods in 2000. He says that gave him time to prepare. The water was receding on Wednesday afternoon and he expected the pub to be open on Thursday after giving it a scrub down first.

The pub, which sits on two levels, had to close the lower level pool room as well as its upper bar because it had become impossible for the toilets to operate.

Having spent about £1,000 on pumping equipment which was churning away on Wednesday morning to clear the muddy waters, Mr Brown is now facing a loss of income from having to close up. He can normally expect a crowd of pool, domino and darts players.

Mr Brown, who is married to Samantha, 50, and has two children, Ben, 30, and Amy 26, gave a matter of fact answer to the question of how he felt about the fourth floods since 2000. They own the pub and are able to trade without ties to breweries, so they can stock whatever they want.

"It isn't as if it was a shock," said Mr Brown. "I think oh, well, that's going to cause some trouble for a few days. But after Covid it really is the last thing we need."

For Mr Brown the bigger risk than one single flood is not having insurance if something happens to the structure of the building. But as he says: "After 32 years I can survive a day or two of closure because of one flood."

Mr Brown thinks the answer to the flooding issue is upstream of Bridgnorth.

"We would love to have flood defences," he said. "The defences at Ironbridge and Shrewsbury might be making the water flow faster, I don't know. Maybe it's about dredging the river.

"One thing's for sure, something is different now, something's changing with the climate, or of building along the flood plain."

Near neighbours of Mr and Mrs Brown in the same road are Tim and Sue Delo, at Delo's Bakery. They didn't get water in the house but it brought a halt to production at their back bakery. They have been in the business for 20 years.

"We managed to bake yesterday and I used my own kitchen to keep us ticking over until we can start the bakery again," said Mrs Delo, 53. "We are hoping that the bakery will be usable again on Thursday, which means we will have lost two days which for us is a major inconvenience that we we do not want."

This time round, they were able to prepare at least, not like in a previous flood when they had to buy bread from the Co-op across the road to make sandwiches.

"But our customers really noticed the difference."

Elsewhere in town the signs of flooding were everywhere. The Boatyard pub's garden was underwater and providing pictures for the steady stream of people who were walking over the bridge. The pub is closed until the spring after being shut in October.

The Tasty Fried Chicken shop was closed up, and the Vine had its lights on and the sounds of a water pump churning away.

At the Old Mill Antiques Centre, staff were busy cleaning up and did not have time to talk.

Doctor's Lane was under water and locals reported that residents had been evacuated. But over the river, on River Side, people were using the path.

As the waters began their slow reduction, Shropshire Council opened a flooding reception centre for people in need of support at Castle Hall.

Shropshire Council had warned that properties on Severnside, Severn Terrace, Riverside and caravan parks, as well as properties in and around Hampton Loade and Highley may be affected.

Road closures had been put in place for the footpath from Bylet to Wellmeadow, Southwell Riverside, Severnside South Road and The Boat Yard, Doctor's Lane, Severn Terrace, Quayside, Riverside and Friars Street. There was also a closure and diversion on the A442 – Telford to Bridgnorth (upstream of Bridgnorth and Fort Pendlestone), at the A442 – between Sutton Maddock island and Bandon Arms island.

Car park closures were at Riverside car park, Riverside West elevated car park. And any displaced resident permit holders holding a valid permit may park have been allowed to park on Innage Lane Car Park or Severn Street Car Park during the road closures.

It meant that the Co-op car park, in Mill Street, had a constant queue of drivers waiting for spaces.