Lydney Town AFC Faces ‘Horrific Disruption’ Weeks After Storm Bert Flooding

A football club continues to experience “horrific disruption” three weeks following severe flooding caused by Storm Bert. Lydney Town AFC is scheduled to play its initial match this weekend, marking its return since 4ft (1.2m) of water inundated the pitch. Although the playing grounds have been drained, the clubhouse, which serves as a venue for the local food bank, remains non-operational. Goalkeeper Richard Thomas stated: “The sobering part of it is it’s going to be quite horrific in terms of disruption for us and also financially because it’s [repair work] going to cost a lot of money.” He further commented: “Pretty much every penny we earn is through the bar, so it’s a double edged sword.” The club has already incurred significant expenses for draining the pitch, and its owners are currently negotiating with insurance providers. Mr. Thomas also noted that the club suffered the loss of numerous pieces of equipment, such as line markers and lawnmowers. Within the clubhouse, the flooring, bar, and electrical systems require replacement, along with the pumps responsible for supplying beer to the bar and water to the showers and taps. “It’s not just the fact we’ve got to replace the bar, we’ll have to take the bar out of action; it’s essentially a pub that’s open three days a week so you can imagine the kind of money we’re earning is not huge,” Mr Thomas elaborated. Mr. Thomas indicated that if discussions with their insurance company are not favorable, the club will need to undertake a “serious think.” They have opted not to organize a fundraiser, stating it is “on the basis that there are people worse off than us out there.” He emphasized: “It isn’t just us, that’s a hub for the local foodbank, which lost a lot of stock, and our skittles team, which is a demographic where it’s probably their only social event of the week.” “Our darts teams; it’s a real hub for everybody,” he concluded.