In this story we visit The Royal Oak in Brandon, just outside Coventry, a pub that flooded 12 times during the winter of 2023/24. Owner Khara Schrijvers describes the devastation caused by Storm Henk, when brown floodwater forced the pub to close for four months and left behind burst pipes, cracked floors, damaged roofs, and a repair bill of around £180,000.

Faced with uncertainty about whether the business could survive, Khara considered closing the doors for good. Instead, she chose to invest in protecting the building – installing custom-made aluminium flood gates on new brick walls surrounding the pub, designed to slow the rate of water entering and give drains a chance to cope.

We talk with Khara about the toll repeated flooding takes on a small business, and how climate change is not only driving more extreme weather but also pushing up food prices and energy bills – creating multiple challenges for pubs like hers. Since reopening, The Royal Oak has extended its opening hours to make up for lost revenue, and Khara credits the local community for their loyalty and support. While the risk of flooding remains, she says the new defences offer reassurance and a chance to keep the pub’s doors open in the face of increasingly extreme weather.