Beleaguered Businesses

14 Dec 09

I was walking alongside the River Cocker towards Cockermouth on Friday afternoon. It was a beautifully clear, sunny winter afternoon, warm and bright. It was impossible to imagine that this was the same place I had seen on the news three weeks before.

However the picture changed as I got nearer the town. Passing one of the many road bridges in the area which has been condemned I caught sight of Cockermouth Main Street, blockaded at both ends.

What used to be the thriving centre of this picturesque Lakeland town is now one elongated building site. Cars replaced by brimming skips; Christmas shoppers replaced by hoards of contractors; Sale signs replaced by “Closed due to flood” notices; Shelves of goods replaced by rubble and drying equipment. It’s a sad scene. The entire length of the Main Street there isn’t a shop unaffected. 

After talking to contractors and business owners on the Main Street I stopped at a small tea room – which despite being just feet away from the shops on Main Street was remarkably unaffected – to write up some notes. Chatting to the ladies running the place and some of the locals who had popped in for a “Christmas Special” (coffee and a home made mince pie with cinnamon cream – I’d recommend it!) I heard some amazing stories. Shop owners wading through flood water to save their stock, shop owners who weren’t flooded out opening their doors to allow former rivals to continue trading and some rather incongruous partnerships which have sprung up. For example, at the far end of Main Street Wensley Mackay – Pension Trustee Services is playing host to Jacy’s, purveyors of fine lingerie(pictured right).

It made me look twice as I walked past – I wonder what the pensioners think? The floods were undeniably devastating, but the spirit and positive attitude I saw in every single person I spoke to was humbling. There was universally positive feedback on the service delivered by the Cunningham Lindsey adjusters and surveyors:


• “Understanding”
• “Patient, thorough and fair”

• “A nice chap, I don’t know how many times we must have called him, but he always seemed to be happy to answer the phone and answer any questions we had”

• “Made the impossible seem bearable”

• “Arrived much quicker than I had expected and were really helpful”

Oriel’s contractors were also praised:


• “Very friendly and helpful, have given us a better idea of what to expect in the weeks ahead”
• “They turned up to ‘strip’ me last Monday, you can imagine my disappointment when they just took out the damaged furniture” (one remarkably resilient pensioner who suffered minimal flood damage which clearly hadn't damaged her wicked sense of humour)
• “Hard working, would definitely recommend”