Flood leaves accountant stranded
While many accountants remained unscathed by the extensive flooding others found themselves having to put in place emergency measures to keep working.
While many accountants remained unscathed by the extensive flooding others found themselves having to put in place emergency measures to keep working.
Ian Smith, managing partner of Worcester-based Rabjohns revealed his firm had initiated home working so staff could continue serving clients.
‘It’s been fairly horrific. The floods have affected our staff in getting to work. But, we’ve managed to kit people out so they can work from their homes,’ he said.
In Mold, mid Wales, JDH Business Services had begun to miss client meetings.’The main entrances and exits into Mold have been flooded since this morning. We’ve had lifeboats going up the high street,’ said John Henry, director of the firm.
While rainfall beat all records, the majority of the UK’s chartered accountants remained largely unaffected.
Renowned for their cautious and prudent nature, many of the firms Accountancy Age spoke to in York, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone were either located on a high ground or strategically away from the flood plain.
A spokesman at the York-based Forster, Stott & Co commented: ‘It has been completely exaggerated by the media. The flooding has been worse than other times. But, the areas that have been affected are the same ones as always.’
Small firms in Maidstone and Tunbridge also reported little or no disruption to business or staff being able to go to work. There were no reports of any damage to office premises.
However, the impact of the current bad weather will reduce GDP in Q4 this year by around £1.5bn or 0.5%, according to BDO Stoy Hayward.