LOCAL businesses have been hugely impacted by storm Dennis, following hot on the heels of storm Ciara.

As well as direct flood damage, disruption to staff and customers, supply chains, utilities and transport are the most frequently occurring problems for small businesses during severe weather. So it’s vitally important that infrastructure and support services are able to cope with the pressures that extreme weather can create.

Vulnerable small businesses also need to be able to sufficiently protect themselves from increasingly unpredictable and severe weather that in the worst cases can be extremely disruptive and costly.

Therefore they need advice about and access to effective property protection tools and techniques. They also need to have adequate insurance cover, though unfortunately this can be a problematic area.

Our own research has demonstrated that a large number of smaller businesses at risk of flooding often struggle to find affordable flood insurance.

However, by adopting as many flood prevention measures as is practical and possible, small business owners can sometimes secure reductions in their insurance premiums. Meanwhile, we will continue to work with the industry and with Government, to identify ways to improve the cost and availability of insurance for ‘at risk’ businesses.

Even once the floods have receded, some Worcestershire-based businesses could be facing weeks of dealing with issues such as damage to premises, stock, and equipment, loss of income, costs of repair and many other problems.

Local communities can help by considering how their custom can support a small firm to get back on track after such a significant disruption.