A POPULAR award-winning pub hit by floods after two storms brought heavy rain is set to reopen in double quick time thanks to a speedy deep clean to get the business back on its feet.
The Rose and Crown in Severn Stoke was flooded after heavy rain from Storm Henk followed by Storm Gerrit and Storm Henk which caused the River Severn to burst its banks.
Around two inches of flood water filled the pub, forcing it to close temporarily on Wednesday, January 3.
However, landlord Andy Goodall said the pub is expected to reopen tomorrow (Saturday) after cleaners did 'an absolutely amazing job helping us out'.
He thanked Gareth Saunders of 3 Counties Pro Clean for the work he did on Thursday, allowing them to bounce back quicker than expected.
"We would not be this far ahead without him - so a big thank you to him," said Mr Goodall.
The pub is expected to open at 11.30am tomorrow (Saturday) and will also be doing food between noon and 3pm and again between 5.30pm and 8pm. Booking is advised and the menu may be missing some items.
Mr Goodall said he and business partner Matt Collins has been working 20 hours a day to try and get the pub ready to welcome back the customers.
He has spoken out after a light-hearted video he made went viral on TikTok and Facebook after sitting in waist-high water with a pint of Guinness, joking that his pub has the best riverside views.
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Mr Goodall said: "This is the third flood in 12 months, first in January, then October and now again.
"As a business, it is killing us as we still have outgoings.
"It is heartbreaking, it really is, and it gets to the point where you're wondering why are we bothering?
"We battle on and will get back open again soon."
Each time the pub floods, Mr Goodall has to pay to replace furniture, fridges, carpets, flooring, and food and redecorate the pub so it is back up to standard.
He added when the pub flooded in January, it cost them £60,000.
Severn Stoke is a village which is repeatedly hit by flooding year after year and, despite promises of £1.8 million flood defences being installed, the village is still without them.
The village's flood defence scheme has been put on hold until next spring because of costs and great crested newts found near the site on the A38.
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