SMALL business owners have shared their top tips to people and businesses on how to deal with the “Beast from the East” set to hit the UK this week with snow, rainfall and flooding expected.
The Met Office has warned that further rainfall this week could exacerbate flooding in the south-west of England after Storm Chandra.
A yellow rain alert has been issued for Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset from today into Tuesday.
The alert is active now and lasts until 9am on Tuesday, with the Met Office warning of flood risk for properties and businesses.
And it has also been reported that snow and torrential rain could hit on Thursday and Friday this week, bringing what has been described as a “Beast from the East”.
Now business owners have offered tips on staying warm, dry and safe during the awful weather – from USB heat pads to “doorstep wellies”.
Our coping strategy? Lean into it
Colette Mason, Author & AI Consultant at London-based Clever Clogs AI, advised using USB heat pads.
She added: “When I’m in my camper van, I use the USB heat pads you get in clothing and fix them on the inside of my cushion, then run it off a phone-charger battery. Much easier than a hot water bottle, but it does the same job of keeping you warm.”
Kate Allen, Owner at Kingsbridge-based Finest Stays, said her businesses are being affected by the weather.
She added: “Running a tourism business in South Devon during weather alerts like this is… character building. Right now, trying to tempt people down here feels a bit like selling coastal romance while the county is being pressure-washed by the sky.
“On a serious note, safety comes first. Around half our team work partly from home anyway, but this week we’ve encouraged people to stay put where needed. We’ve already had staff leaving early to beat warnings, and one team member recently aquaplaned off the M5. It stops being ‘quirky British weather’ very quickly.
“Our coping strategy? Lean into it. Hot tubs become essential infrastructure, guests rediscover board games, and we double down on the promise of a pub fire at the end of a very dramatic walk. For businesses: be flexible, communicate early, and don’t be heroic about travel.”
Accept you’re going to get wet
Sarah Gatford, Head of Interactions at Derby-based Sarah Gatford Ltd, joked that she’s taking her tips from goats.
She added: “I volunteer at a local goat farm. They have a thing or two to teach about British weather: stand in it, get on with it, occasionally headbutt something if it makes you feel better. What works: Proper waterproofs by the door – not optimistic cagoules that give up after five minutes. Accept you’re going to get wet. Goats don’t own hairdryers.
“The post-storm cup of tea tastes approximately 400% better when you’ve earned it by doing something daft like paddling home. In business, stop pretending flooded roads are a test of character. Let people work from home.
“The commute-through-biblical-weather Olympics helps nobody. Also, check on your staff. Not in a ‘we value wellbeing’ poster way. In a ‘is your house underwater’ way.”
Roland Llewellin, CEO of Genpower Ltd, advised people to have their phones fully charged ahead of storms.
He added: “Plan for the Wi-Fi outage more than the power outage. When storms hit, it’s often the router or phone charging or the card machine that fails first, and that’s what makes everything feel chaotic.
“A simple backup plan to keep connectivity and a couple of key devices running, even for a few hours, makes a massive difference.”
‘Doorstep wellies’ for bin day
Kate Underwood, Founder at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training, shared some advice including having “doorstep wellies” at the ready.
She added: “The weather’s turned feral, so I’m treating it like a toddler: snacks, layers, and zero negotiations. When it’s cold, wet and grim, I don’t ‘power through’. I set myself up to win. Kettle on. Two pairs of socks. Hot water bottle tucked under the desk like it’s my tiny HR assistant.
“I keep a spare outfit at work because nobody needs to run a Monday meeting smelling like a drowned spaniel. And I’ve got a pair of ‘doorstep wellies’ for bin day, because slipping on your own driveway is not the vibe.
“For small business owners: be kind, be practical. If roads are flooded or trains are toast, don’t play attendance police. Let people work from home if they can. If they can’t, talk options early: swap shifts, take annual leave, make time up later. The goal is safety and sanity, not points for bravery.”
Anita Wright, Chartered Financial Planner at Ribble Wealth Management, said her advice was to get away from the UK.
She added: “I spent six weeks in the Canary Islands starting in January. If you are able to work whilst abroad, it is a simple way to dodge the grim UK weather and come back feeling far more refreshed.”
While Tony Redondo, Founder at Newquay-based Cosmos Currency Exchange, simply joked: “Emigrate to a warm climate!”
Photo by Kyle Bushnell on Unsplash.
