Isle of Wight flooding hits Cowes town centre businesses

They are now calling on the Isle of Wight Council to "come down and support us" by clearing bin bags full of ruined items, which are currently lining the street.

Update: 'Not our responsibility' to dispose of flood wrecked items says council

Some shops in the town estimate they have lost thousands of pounds in the middle of Easter — one of their busiest times of the year.

The Island's coast saw some of highest tides recorded overnight, with Cowes and East Cowes the areas worst affected.

Joe McPhail, assistant manager at The Anchor Inn. (Image: IWCP)

At pub the Anchor Inn, all the fridges and cellar cooler have broken.

Staff, including assistant manager Joe McPhail, have been assisting with the clean up operation.

Employees rushed to the town at midnight last night, only to find suspected sewage coming up through the floor.

Victoria Calder, director of the pub, said: "I came this morning but it's horrendous and quite shocking."

Paul Davis (Image: IWCP)

Aaron Baker (Image: IWCP)

At Hurst, it is estimated stock to the value of £6,000 to £7,000 has been lost.

General manager Lucy Radford said they hope to open either later today or tomorrow - but she fears it could be later if more flooding hits tonight.

Shop Shipmates was also hit by flooding, but has managed to open.

Owner Aaron Baker said: "I said to someone why not run a local shop? We had Covid, recession and flooding. I'm just waiting for the locusts!"

Further along the high street, Paul Davis, from That Shop, said he has never seen flooding this bad in the town.

Although he "took heed" of the flood warnings and put some stock up high as a precaution, he estimates the cost of damage to be £500 to £600.

The Anchor Inn where suspected sewage came through the floor. (Image: IWCP)

Rubbish outside Mia. (Image: IWCP)

Maria Guy and Steve Morris, from clothing shop Mia, said they were "shocked" to find out about the flooding on social media at 5.30am this morning.

They said their stock room has been "annihilated".

Maria Guy said: "We've lost hundreds and hundreds of pounds worth of stock."

The shop has now been left with "a huge pile of rubbish outside", but the pair say the council will not come to collect it.

"We've been hit by this and doing our best to get the shop up and running with no support from the council", she said. 

Inside That Shop (Image: IWCP)

Paul, from That Shop, said once the bin liners are cleared, they can start trading again.

"We want the council down here to help clear it", he said.

The Isle of Wight Council told the County Press it had "people on the ground all morning" visiting businesses and residential properties in Cowes, but it is businesses responsibility to remove the waste.

Scroll up to read the authority's response in full.