Communities in Manchester, Leeds and York escaped mostly unscathed from the latest bout of flooding affecting the country, with the worst affected suffering power cuts, broken phone lines and soggy gardens.
But Celia Clyne Banqueting were not so lucky — the well-known kosher caterer were hit by rising water levels at its premises in Bury, Greater Manchester at the weekend.
Company director Barry Clyne said the damage was considerable. “It will take several months to get back to normal,” he said.
Things could have been worse. Much of the supplies and equipment in the building had been removed to Birmingham where the company is catering the Limmud conference.
Mr Clyne pledged that all upcoming bookings would be honoured despite the flooding. “We will use alternative kitchens and warehouses. Nothing will change. It’s “business as normal”.
In Manchester the Jewish Representative Council said homes in the Jewish community in the Lower Broughton area narrowly avoid flooding after the nearby River Irwell broke its banks.
Nicola and Jonathan Goldstone in Bury feared the worst when water from the River Roch behind their house flooded the garden, but the water began receding before it reached the house.
“As the day went on the river got higher and higher, then came into garden. A couple of strides away from being in the house,” said Mrs Goldstone, 33. “I’m so grateful it didn’t reach us.”
The couple, members of Bury Hebrew Congregation, took their two young children to stay with their grandparents as a precaution. The family have been without television, internet or a phone line since Saturday afternoon because of the flooding, and there was a power cut on Saturday afternoon. Mrs Goldstone said a nearby field was completely underwater. .
In Leeds, the city centre was hit worst by the heavy rain. However the community buildings in north Leeds remained unaffected, suffering only a two-hour power cut on Saturday evening.
“All Jewish centres and synagogues in north Leeds came through all right with Chabad Lubavitch even reporting a healthy turnout for their Shabbat service” said community member John Fisher.
York was one of the worst-hit areas, with large part of the city under water after the rivers Foss and Ouse flooded.
Ben Rich, founder of the York Liberal community said members of the community did not live in the affected area.
However he said he was concerned that the Friends Meeting house the community uses for services could be damaged.
Flooding affected areas across the whole of the north of England after days of heavy rain. Around 1,000 troops were sent to help evacuate residents from homes in Yorkshire and Lancashire over the weekend.
Water levels have begun to recede but forecasts of more heavy rain over the next couple of days has raised fears of further flooding during the week.
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