Bacup pub is hit by floods again (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Bacup pub is hit by floods again

10:52am Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Rossendale

DEVASTATING floods have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a Bacup pub for the second time in as many months.

Landlady Christine Fitton said she was ‘gutted’ after 40 minutes of torrential down-pour on Sunday evening ruined the cellar of The Queen’s in Yorkshire Street.

But she has vowed to keep the tavern’s doors open to reward her loyal customers.

Firefighters were called at 5.45pm after water levels rose to more than three feet and the building’s electricity supply cut out.

Christine, who lives above the pub, said she had prepared for the weather with sandbags but that they simply were not able to cope.

She said: “It looks like we might have to replace the beer cooler again, and we’ve only just had that one installed after the last floods in June. They cost more than £1,000 and there are barrels of hand-pump ale destroyed too.

“Last time it took about a week to get things up and running again, but there’s no way I’ll shut this time, it’s not fair on the customers.

“We tried to prepare, but what can you do?

“This shouldn’t happen in August. The time it takes to recover really takes it out of you.”

Christine, who also works full-time for Bacup footwear company E Sutton and Son as well as running the pub, and her partner Timmy Brighty, an electrician, worked with fire-fighters until 2.30am to clear the cellar.

A special hazardous mat-erials unit from Burnley also attended, and had to use spe-cialist pumps to drain away the water.

Firefighter Tony Greenwood said: “The drains were over-run.”

Crews from the Bacup fire station were also called to the Waterloo pub on Rochdale Road at around 7.40pm after reports of further flooding.

Council were also patrolling Burnley Road and Todmorden Road to clear debris.