A LANDLORD in south Herefordshire is assessing the "massive" impact after his pub was hit by flooding twice, and has now been forced to close due to coronavirus.

The Bridge Inn in Kentchurch, near the Welsh border, opened in February 2019 after an extensive refurbishment, but William Chambers and his wife Kasia who run the pub, have faced several set-backs.

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Mr Chambers feels it could be six months until business returns to normal, even if the lockdown is lifted within the next five weeks.

Although the Government told all pubs and restaurants to close on March 20, The Bridge Inn had been "dead" in the two weeks leading up to the announcement.

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He said: "There was two floods, a flood in October and a flood in February and now the coronavirus so it's not great but they say bad things come in threes.

"He (Prime Minister Boris Johnson) officially closed everyone on Friday, March 20 but it was two weeks before that where there was no business.

"For weeks it's been dead, there's been no trade. It's massive and there's no money coming in, but at the end of the day people's lives are more important and social distancing is how you do that."

The pair, who were closed for a total of six weeks due to flooding, are not sure how long the will be closed this time around until the Government lifts the ban.

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Hereford Times:

Flooding at The Bridge Inn, Kentchurch in October 2019

In October, the river Monnow burst its banks and flooded the beer garden, terrace and kitchen, but thanks to the support of the local community soon fully reopened.

READ MORE: Locals rally to help couple save their pub

Mr Chambers added that judging by the response from other countries across the world it could be five weeks or longer, but trade might not pick up until the end of the year.