Welsh Government must think seriously about how to support small businesses following flooding

Press Releases 17 Feb 2020

Commenting on severe flooding in South Wales following Storm Dennis, Ben Francis, FSB Wales Policy Chair, said: “It is incredibly sad to see that many small businesses across South Wales have been affected by flooding.

“We have contacted FSB’s members and offered help and support where possible, but for those affected, full recovery could take some time. My heart goes out to them as a fellow business owner.

“Whilst the clean-up operation continues, it is important that people prioritise staying safe, and follow advice from the authorities. It is important that any business affected by flooding contact their insurers as soon as possible in order to start the claims process.

“Small businesses are at the heart of their communities and when they are forced to close, the impacts can be felt widely. In the coming weeks, businesses could be facing issues such as damage to premises, stock, and equipment, loss of income through closure and recovery, costs of repair and many other problems. As businesses begin to think about getting back on their feet and reopening, we’d urge communities to consider how their custom can support a small firm to get back on track after such a significant disruption.

“While the local authorities across the region are hard at work clearing the damage and making local areas safe, affected business owners will begin to assess the damage in the coming days. We’d ask Welsh Government to think seriously about how they can support our small businesses in the wake of this serious and damaging event.

“We will continue to work with our members and supporting those that have been affected.”