By Dionne Meehan
A CASTLEFINN restaurant has described their business as being a “ticking time bomb” as a result of an on-going flooding issue.
Operating in the heart of Castlefinn for the past 35 years, McGlynn’s Restaurant has become a household staple for the locals.
With many depending on the restaurant for a hot dinner, including the local schools, they strive to keep the public happy and well fed.
However, with flooding in the town becoming “progressively worse” due to a broken culvert, the future of the restaurant remains unknown.
With gale force winds and torrential rain battering Donegal in recent days, the restaurant was once again left to pick up the pieces.
Losing business as a result of Tuesday’s flooding, restaurant Manager, Seamus McGlynn said their business is under “threat”.
Now calling for the culvert to be replaced as a matter of urgency, Seamus fears the work will be carried out when it’s “too late”.
Despite the area being included in the Castlefinn Flood Defence Scheme, he insists their problem is separate.
“It is not the river that is flooding us, it is the tributary going into the river.
“It can’t get to the river fast enough so it is backing up onto our property and surrounding homes,” he said.
Already experiencing substantial damage to their business as a result of flooding in 2015, a lot of money was put towards a recent refit. Now trying to get off the ground once again, Seamus has been left feeling a sense of déjà vu.
“We can’t afford to put more money into the business with the threat of it being flooded the day after you re-open.
“If we get flooded and it gets into the dining room area and kitchen, we are out of business.
“That is a family business destroyed,” he said.
With 18 staff to pay, input costs increasing along with bills on top of that, Seamus said despite no one physically being in any danger when flooding hits, it’s their livelihoods that are taking the brunt of the issue.
“We have mortgages and rent to pay. That is not guaranteed if you have no job,” he added.
“They have a plan in place, but the plan is going too slow in our eyes because we might not be here whenever the job is done.”
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