Surrounded by Water, It Was Only the Beginning of the Nightmare
Residents of a flooded Stockport mill face ongoing struggles for shelter and support
Stockport, UK, Flooding, Emergency Response, Community Support, Housing Crisis
Stockport: Last week, heavy rain caused serious flooding in Greater Manchester, and it hit residents of a converted mill hard. The Meadow Mill was one of the worst affected spots.
Water flooded the car park, leaving cars underwater, and many residents found themselves stuck in their homes without power. Some were even stranded outside in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
Luckily, a quick emergency response came to the rescue. Residents banded together, creating a WhatsApp group to help each other out. They were told to pack for just two days, but it turned into a much longer ordeal.
People shared gym codes so those without a place to stay could shower and warm up. It was heartwarming to see the community come together during such a tough time.
After the flooding, a huge clean-up effort kicked off to remove the water from around the mill. Residents got updates from the management company, CERT, about the situation.
Meadow Mill, a historic cotton mill turned into apartments, was still without power by the weekend of January 4. Many residents had to book hotels and Airbnbs, which racked up hefty bills.
By January 8, some tenants, running low on cash, moved back into their freezing flats with no power or running water. One resident even mentioned she could see her breath inside her apartment.
Hannah Miles and Bradley Mullen, both 19, spent hundreds on accommodation and takeout, unsure when they could return home. They even had to apply for credit cards to manage their expenses.
Antonia Elford and her partner spent over £1,000 on hotels, dipping into savings they had set aside for a future home. They felt lucky to have the cash to pay upfront.
David Howarth, another resident, braved the cold and returned to the building out of desperation. He said he was running out of options and funds for a hotel.
On January 9, Stockport council leader Mark Hunter expressed serious concerns about the situation, highlighting the delays in temporary accommodation for residents.
AXA UK, the insurance provider for the property, said they were working urgently to resolve the situation and sympathized with the affected residents.
CERT mentioned they aimed to restore power to the communal areas by January 13, which would allow them to test safety systems.
Criticism also came toward Stockport council for not doing enough to provide temporary housing for those affected. A local councillor pointed out the council’s legal and moral obligations to keep people safe and warm.
Despite the challenges, the council stated that everyone who moved back into Meadow Mill was offered temporary accommodation.
On January 10, both the town hall and AXA provided a positive update, confirming support for residents needing accommodation for the next week.
Mark Hunter expressed relief that AXA was finally stepping up to help residents during this difficult time, ensuring they had safe and warm places to stay.
For tenants like Antonia, the whole experience has been a nightmare, but she felt fortunate to have some savings. She reflected on how draining it was, especially since they were told to pack for just two days.
While the situation is still being resolved, there’s hope that the worst is now behind them, and they can soon return to their homes.