8:13PM, Sun Jul 1, 2012

Counting The Cost Of The Super Storm: Flood Damage To Cost South Shields Business Thousands

By India Adams Location: South Shields

Video: 'Super storm' aftermath: the cost of the floods

Days after the super storm that caused chaos across Tyneside, local businesses are counting the cost of flood damage and loss of trade.

The Asha Balti House on Ocean Road in South Shields was one of the worst hit businesses in the area.

Floodwater gushed into the restaurant causing irreparable damage meaning all of the floors and carpets need to be replaced, with a cost upwards of £25,000.

With half the restaurant now closed for repair, staff are turning away up to 50 customers a night and will be forced to do so for at least the next ten days until the property is restored.

To make matters worse, the Indian restaurant had just undergone an expensive refurbishment that was due to be completed just days after the storm hit.

Mohammed Dhilwar Hussain, owner of the Asha Balti House, said: “It’s going to cost thousands of pounds to repair the floor.

“It’s even harder for us because we’ve just literally had the place done out. We’ve built up this hype for people to come to the restaurant and now we’re having to turn half the customers away.

“Some of them are regular customers and once they go somewhere else you’ve potentially lost that customer, although we’d like to think we wouldn’t.”