THE owner of a Northwich boutique has been left worried about the future of the high street after the devastating floods which left much of the town under water.

Natalie Pinch, who owns Bella Boutique with her partner Jonathan Jones, only re-opened the popular fashion store in December following a refurb during lockdown.

Although the flood waters did not destroy the stock within the store, the water did rise up from the cellar below the property causing damage to the wooden shop floor, which will need to be replaced.

Natalie said: "I thought we had been lucky because of the cellar, which we hoped had sucked most of the water down.

"Unfortunately, the water has pushed up through the flooring, so everything’s going to have to come out of the shop and a whole new floor will need putting in."

The floods couldn't have come at a worse time for our small independent businesses, with many having lost thousands in trading during the coronavirus pandemic.

Natalie, who also has shops in Sandbach and Ormskirk is worried about the financial impact the floods will have on some businesses, particularly those without insurance to cover for such eventualities.

"Without any financial help this will cripple so many," she said.

"I’m not sure at this point Northwich High Street can survive this latest blow, just waiting on the swarm of locusts next."

Natalie, who spent much of Thursday heaving large sandbags around the town in an attempt to save as many of the businesses as possible said it was great the likes of Abdas coffee shop had set up a Go Fund Me page.

She said: "It's doing really well already which is great.

"When we got into Abdas, the water was knee high inside and everything was just floating.

"I stank when I got home and I hate to think what was in there.

"I just got on with it and tried not to think about it at the time."

For information and the make online purchases, please go to www.bellabrand.co.uk.