Businesses are being affected by the threat of bad weather.
Fear rather than floods could be keeping people from going out and about in Richmond, as a pub manager claims things are dry but quiet.
The MET office has issued severe flood warnings, stipulating real danger to life, for 14 regions in the South East and river levels remain at an all-time high.
Properties along the length of the Thames could be evacuated with 60 regions, including Hampton Court and Teddington, listed as serious flood risks.
Damien Connolly, assistant manager of the White Cross in Richmond, is a stone’s throw from the river but says that the Thames flood barrier is doing its job.
“It has not really caused us any problems,” he said.
Mr Connolly said that the river has been a spectacle to watch as it has flooded right up into the garden but having the barrier down takes away the worry for the pub.
The flood barrier, designed to protect London from the Thames tidal surges, is closed for the 28th time this winter, the most since it first came into operation in 1982.
As the Government and the Environment Agency continue to bicker over who’s to blame for lack of action on Somerset’s flood plains, the economic impact of flooding remains an issue.
The White Cross Pub is open for business as usual but Mr Connolly believes that the fear factor and warnings issued are keeping people at home.
“It was an abnormally quiet Sunday for us,” he said.
“I think it’s because people won’t come out.”
Paul Leinster, Chief Executive of Environment Agency, said: “Extreme weather will continue to threaten communities this week, with further severe flooding expected Monday evening into Tuesday along the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey. River levels are high across south west, central and southern England and further rain has the potential to cause significant flooding.
“I urge the public to sign up to our receive free flood warnings, check their flood risk, and keep up to date with the latest situation on the Environment Agency website and on social media using #floodaware.”
Photo courtesy of Nigel Chadwick, with thanks.
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