Downpatrick floods: Businesses battling to recover months later

Nearly five months after flooding destroyed swathes of the centre of Downpatrick, business owners say the town is still struggling to recover.

On Sunday, thousands of people will descend for St Patrick's Day celebrations in the town where the saint was buried.

But damage from the flooding remains obvious.

Traders say there are still issues with financial support for those affected by the floodwaters.

"We had a meeting of the regeneration working group this week and one of the members counted 30-40 vacant premises in the town centre," said Malachy McGrady, chairman of the regeneration working group.

"Some were vacant historically but many are vacant because the roll out of the flood grant scheme has been very slow."

The application process for the main tranche of that funding is open but it is still unclear when the scheme will pay out.

With that uncertainty many shops remain closed.

For others, relocation or reopening has been nearly entirely at their own cost.

Ciara Douglas, who runs a communion dress shop on St Patrick's Avenue, hit the headlines during the floods when she battled through deep water to save as many pristine white dresses as she could.

Earlier in March, she was finally able to re-open her premises.

"I'm home, we had roughly 12 weeks of no customers and no sales so getting back has been amazing," she said.

"We are covering over things - there's some lipstick on it. We've no floor and we still haven't got all our units.

"I've filed my application but everything is still all on you - right down to trying to help the town out, because you are trying to help increase footfall in the town."

Meanwhile, a further hardship fund for those previously refused support is open until 29 March.

Businesses can apply for grants of either £5,000 or £2,500.

Siblings Paul McCartan and Nuala O'Reilly have also noted the decline in footfall.

Six months ago they were operating separate shops - sports and shoes - a few doors apart.

Today, both are squeezed into a single unit.

It was also flooded - although not quite as badly.

"It's a little tight, a little compressed, but it's better than nothing. We haven't fallen out yet," said Paul.

"We have good loyal customers but there just aren't a lot of feet on the street," added Nuala.

Key to attracting footfall is a full complement of shops.

On Wednesday morning, Hana Cousins was meeting her friend Thienan Polodna and her baby Daisy Lien for coffee in Oakley café, another business which had to relocate.

"I still come in to town quite a bit - to the coffee shops, to the leisure centre," said Thienan, who lives in Loughinisland.

"There are a few shops missing and sometimes I have to go to Ballynahinch because I also have a seven-year-old who likes crafts and some of that type of shop are missing."

Hana believed enough shops had now reopened to minimise the need to go elsewhere.

"You definitely notice the difference in certain shops closing but I'm glad for the ones that have been able to reopen," she said.

"There are still some gaps, but having the food shops [such as ASDA] reopened has helped.

"I was shopping elsewhere briefly but it's really good that we can do that locally again."

As well as getting shops open in the short term, Hana said she felt long term solutions were needed.

"I do think there is a chance to change things a bit," she said.

"Could things be done to prevent things like this happening again? Could road layouts change?"

Malachy McGrady said the regeneration masterplan was launched just a few weeks before the town was flooded, but despite the setback the long-term plans had not changed.

"Our capital projects are still progressing," he said.

"The first of those is a new skate park. We also have a public realm scheme for Church Street.

"We have an Executive in place [at Stormont] and a couple of ministers we will be introducing ourselves to very shortly."

High above the town at the cathedral, a group of nearly 30 young musicians from schools across the area have come together to form the Down Community Youth Choir.

As well as producing beautiful music, the choir's founders Ellen Taylor and Kyle Bradshaw said they were hoping to draw attention to the plight the town found itself in.

"You go for a walk on Market Street and it's completely different. Half the shops are closed," Kyle said.

"There was a feeling that you couldn't do anything about it - so we set this up to try and get a bit of calmness and peace and a sense of unity - that people care for others in Downpatrick,"

"The businesses here need support," Ellen said.

"They are struggling. Some have closed and that's a tragedy for Downpatrick but the others need support and that's what we are trying to draw attention to."