Flood waters have receded but small firms are struggling to recover

Months on from widespread flooding across the north of England and Scotland, many business owners are still out of pocket

Jayne Shepherd and her son, Michael, had only run their restaurant Winner Winner in King's Staith, York, for 15 months when the Boxing Day floods hit last year. When they raced to their restaurant that evening, there was little left to salvage. Sewage-contaminated water had surpassed 4ft, destroying stock, kitchen equipment and furnishings. "We were scrambling to pick up anything we could," she says. "But we lost pretty much everything."

The floods had a devastating impact on many small businesses across the north of England and parts of Scotland. Months later, thousands of pounds out of pocket and with questions remaining over insurance payouts, affected businesses are fighting to get back to normal. The government has introduced Flood Re, a scheme to help provide affordable cover for homeowners, but it does not include small companies. And that's something the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) wants to change.