Business owners on Mill Street are worried about future floods and feel abandoned after repeated damage.
Business owners feel very frustrated by the lack of help. They say authorities don’t take responsibility. Shops work together to pressure authorities, and they want answers and urgent action as their businesses may suffer more damage.
Josh Downes owns Lost Boys Club Barbers. He said they feel massively neglected and sees no accountability from authorities, including the council and Welsh Water. People have lost hope for any solutions.
Enrico Orsi owns Zucco cafe. He says the lack of ownership adds stress, and they worry about possible winter flooding. Responses are delayed and take too long, especially as his business is his life and income.
Josh’s shop flooded last November during Storm Bert. He is now obsessed with the flooding cause. His business flooded in 2022 due to blocked drains, and he was almost bankrupt then. He can’t believe it happened again.
Last week, the Rhondda River got too close to his shop. Water poured out of the street drains. He said he never would have moved there if he knew.
The River Rhondda may have been left out of flood reports, meaning the threat to businesses isn’t recognized. Owners saw the Rhondda flood the drains and believe drainage doesn’t work well.
A council report studied flooding after Storm Dennis in 2020. It focused on the River Taff and surface water, and it never mentioned the Rhondda River. Owners think this is why problems weren’t fixed.
Josh won’t invest in his shop because he doesn’t believe it is safe. He thinks compensation is due to affected businesses, and the river needs to be in the report.
An email from NRW acknowledged the Rhondda River’s role. The council doesn’t legally need to find flood causes. NRW reviewed the report but did not change it prior to publication, though they collected post-flood data. Josh started a petition for a better investigation.
Jane Coleman owns Martha’s Homestore. She feels frustrated about the report because businesses on Mill Street got flooded by the River Rhondda. They flooded through drains and basements in 2020, but the report blamed the River Taff.
She says the drains are not working well. Everyone knows it was the River Rhondda, but this has never been publicly admitted. They feel no fair investigation occurred, and they could flood anytime.
Many have no faith that future flooding will be prevented. Josh believes he will flood again. Many can’t get flood insurance on Mill Street, and they face emotional and financial burdens.
Josh had over £10,000 in damages after November flooding as his electrical items and chairs were damaged, and he lost merchandise. The shop closed for days, though he received a £1000 council grant.
He said the grant barely covered time off work. Five people work at his shop, and it happened near Christmas when his baby was born, making the timing terrible.
Enrico Orsi also worries about potential flooding and his children. He moved to Mill Street after the 2020 floods.
Running a business is tough, and the stress of losing it every winter is hard. He said they shouldn’t bear it. In 50 years, they might not be on Mill Street, though they are from Pontypridd and care about the town.
Enrico and Josh spoke with the Prince and Princess of Wales. They discussed the impact of flooding, and Prince William said he’d write a letter.
Barriers saved Enrico’s shop last November, but they are not ideal for Mill Street long term. He wants drain updates as the drainage system hasn’t changed since Storm Bert.
The council made a SuDs garden for surface water. Grants are available for flood resilience, but Josh said businesses must find their own surveyors. Paperwork discourages some people, and businesses must pay upfront to get grants. “I have no money,” he said.
It’s daunting to get flood support, agrees Jane. She got technical reports for shop improvements. It feels like residents are doing the council’s work.
Josh believes something needs to be done faster. Grants need immediate access, and he proposes a quick drain fix to stop backflow. This can stop the repeated flooding on Mill Street.
A council spokesperson sympathizes with Mill Street businesses. They provided two grants for flood resistance and also gave £1,000 payments for recovery.
The council spent over £100 million improving drainage. However, they can only improve what they are legally bound to work on, and river flood defenses are the role of Natural Resources Wales. Other organizations must match this work.
The council isn’t in charge of main rivers or sewers. Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Water manage these, and Mill Street has a high flood risk on NRW maps. Buyers and landlords should have known this.
The council isn’t responsible for business location choices. Flood risk concerns should be raised with NRW.
An NRW spokesperson sympathizes with Mill Street businesses. Storm Bert caused flooding once again, especially because Mill Street is the lowest part of town. The flood risk is complicated because of three causes: the Taff, the Rhondda, and surface water.
A council investigation found the main source was the Taff and surface water following Storm Dennis. Establishing the exact sources of any flooding can be challenging as the various processes in Mill Street are complex, and each storm will impact flooding differently.
A Welsh Water spokesperson shares sympathy with businesses. Storm Bert flooded Mill Street once again.
Sewers were clear with over a month’s rainfall. They worked as planned despite large amounts of rain. While sewers weren’t the cause, wider drain networks were overwhelmed, and they will work to manage future flooding alongside the council.