Storm Boelo ‘devastates’ businesses after overnight flooding hits Largs

Storm Boelo has left businesses in Largs grappling with extensive water damage after floodwater swept through the town.

The town’s Main Street was deluged overnight as the second named storm of the season swept through Scotland, bringing winds of more than 80mph and heavy rain.

Inspired Vision Bathrooms owner Wendy McKinney says she arrived on Sunday morning to find her shop inundated with “several inches” of water.

While businesses in the area have been impacted by storms before, she says it’s the first time her premises has been hit.

She told STV News: “There are electrics in the office we’ve got which were on the floor, such as robot hoovers.

“Some of the furniture is floor-standing, which has been affected. This is all MDF as well, which is probably going to end up swelling due to the water.

“It’s terrible.”

She is unsure when they are likely to reopen.

“We’ll still be cleaning up tomorrow, so we’re losing business as well through it,” she said.

“Monday’s usually a good day for us, but the weather’s keeping people away as well.”

Wendy says local drainage issues worsened during the surge and that local businesses need more support during weather events.

Jamie, who was visiting a friend in the town, described the conditions overnight as floodwater swept through parts of Largs.

“We walked around and we saw big waves crashing up onto the side of the shore.

“The wind was phenomenal. Enough to blow you off your feet. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen anything like that.”

Nearby, Supachok Chamnina, owner of the Tha Tien Thai restaurant, found the kitchen swamped.

He says many of the restaurant’s appliances have been damaged.

“It was very sad. I feel so terrible. We have to do something to protect it. I’m a little bit stressed.

“The equipment – the fridge, cooker – are all damaged. We’ll need to take a little bit of time to sort it out.”

He says he will have to close the restaurant temporarily while repairs are carried out.

“People have been very supportive and have come to help,” he said.

“We don’t know how long, maybe one or two weeks. We’ll try to fix everything as soon as we can.”

The flooding in Largs came as Storm Boelo continued to cause disruption across Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) met to discuss the impact of the storm on Sunday afternoon and ministers heard some 40,000 customers were currently without electricity, but around 26,000 others have been restored.

Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “As we experience a third consecutive day of weather warnings with continued strong winds forecast until later today, it is important that people keep up to date on the impact the conditions are having in their local area.

“Disruption to travel is likely to continue into tomorrow and I strongly recommend people check official sources such as the Met Office, Traffic Scotland, transport operators and local authority channels before setting out.

“While we expect some respite from the adverse weather during the day on Monday, there is a possibility of more severe weather conditions early on in the week and we urge everyone to continue to follow advice and heed any warnings.

“If anyone is isolated or needs help or assistance, they should not hesitate to seek help from the appropriate authorities.

“We continue to monitor the situation and work closely with partners to respond quickly and try to mitigate the effects of Storm Boelo as far as possible.”

Pascal Lardet, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, says stormy weather is expected to continue into the start of the week.

“Through Sunday, coastal flooding impacts are likely in the west and north. There could also be river and surface water impacts in the north due to continued heavy rain.

“On Monday evening, further coastal flooding impacts are likely starting in the southwest and around most of Scotland through Tuesday due to a further storm system. We expect to see large waves and rising tidal levels increase the likelihood of flooding to low-lying coastal roads and local travel disruption.

“We continue to urge people to remain vigilant, particularly around coastal areas and stay away from flooded promenades and crashing waves.

“A Met Office amber weather warning remains in place until 9pm on Sunday night and will result in high waves and a risk of coastal flooding.

“The flood risk will continue to remain elevated throughout Sunday and into next week. Stay up to date with the latest information by checking our flooding page on the SEPA website and our social media channels.”