Hospitality businesses still wait for water to be reconnected

Hospitality businesses in flood affected parts of England are still waiting for water supplies to be reconnected so they can re-open for business.

More than a week after flooding swept through swathes of southern England and the west Midlands, hotels are still being forced to cancel bookings and turn away guests as they await for safe water supplies to be connected.

A spokeswoman for Hotel De La Bere in Southam, Cheltenham, said: “We still have no water and we are assessing the situation day-by-day. There have been reports that drinking water could come back in the next two days but we are in the hands of Severn Trent Water.”

She added that the only problem now in getting back open for business was the water but guests had been sympathetic when bookings had been cancelled.

“It has been challenging but most people have been more than understanding.”

Seven Trent Water says that water could enter Gloucester’s taps from noon today but Andy Smith, Severn Trent’s director of water services, warned: “This does not mean that everyone in Gloucester will get water today. 

“We cannot give exact timescales for how long this process will take as it is heavily dependant on demand levels.  We are expecting high demand because, understandably, people who have been without water for more than a week will be eager to make use of a reconnected mains supply.  We are still aiming to begin pumping water to Cheltenham and the areas nearby from Tuesday.”

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By Christopher Walton

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