As Storm Claudia swept across England in November 2025, communities from Wiltshire to the West Midlands and Greater Manchester found themselves once again at the mercy of rising floodwaters. The storm, which brought torrential rain and fierce winds, exposed the fragility of the country’s aging drainage systems, the strain of rapid urban development, and the growing impact of climate change on daily life.
In Malmesbury, Wiltshire, the local bowls club—an institution with a 117-year history—stood on the front lines of the crisis. Nestled on Little Meat Island and surrounded by water on all sides, Malmesbury Bowls and Social Club was battered by flooding for the second time in as many years. Treasurer Paul Lucas recalled the devastation of November 2024’s Storm Bert, which inundated the clubhouse and forced a £100,000 renovation. “Eighty thousand pounds came from insurance, five thousand came from Sport England and fifteen thousand from the club. However we no longer have insurance for flooding for the club after Storm Bert,” Lucas explained, according to BBC reporting. The most recent deluge during Storm Claudia spared the clubhouse itself but left the car park and artificial playing green submerged in sludge and mud. “Last year for Storm Bert, it took nearly 500 hours of work to clean the green. This year is not going to be so bad. It's probably going to be about 100 hours of work to clean the green,” said Lucas.
But the relief was tempered by the knowledge that the next flood could spell the end for the club at its historic location. “If we were to be flooded again to that extent, it would be the end of the club and we'd have to move site,” Lucas warned. The venue is more than just a bowls club; it’s a hub for the community, hosting skittles leagues, bingo, quiz nights, and other events. A move could mean sharing space with tennis or netball clubs—an outcome Lucas described as “a real shame because we've been in existence for 117 years. It's a very good community facility and when it's nice and sunny, it's a beautiful location and everyone enjoys being down there and playing bowls.”
Elsewhere in Wiltshire, the aftermath of Storm Claudia was felt on the roads. In east Swindon, a massive puddle at the junction of Ermin Street and Swindon Road lingered for nearly a week, the result of blocked road gullies overwhelmed by the storm. Resident and prospective Conservative councillor Marco Di Pinto reported the issue repeatedly before council workers finally cleared the drains. Councillor Matt Vallender, the Conservatives’ shadow cabinet member for highways, reflected on the response: “That corner was flooded for a week, but it was only a couple of days after we reported it that it was dealt with, so I don’t think it’s too bad.” He noted that the site was likely deemed a lower safety risk compared to other flood reports. Meanwhile, Councillor Chris Watts, cabinet member for highways and environment, told the BBC that Swindon’s upgraded flood systems “coped much better this year than they had in 2023, despite there being much more rain last Friday than two years ago,” though he conceded the systems were likely stretched to their limits.
Across the West Midlands, flash floods became a recurring nightmare through autumn and into November. Cities like Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Coventry, and Leamington Spa saw streets and homes inundated, with Princes Drive in Leamington Spa remaining underwater for four days after Storm Claudia. Experts and campaigners pointed to a combination of climate change and relentless housebuilding as key factors. “We've paved and concreted our entire world, so when that water hits the ground running, it goes into people's homes and it can't soak away into soft ground,” said flood awareness campaigner Mary Long-Dhonnau, speaking to BBC News.
Long-Dhonnau, known as “Flood Mary,” highlighted the inadequacy of Victorian-era drains and the need for both engineering and nature-based solutions. Professor David Hannah of Birmingham University advocated for rain gardens, green roofs, and permeable surfaces to help manage urban water. “The results will be better flood risk management, enhanced biodiversity, and better health and access to green space for residents,” he said. Councils, for their part, ramped up drain clearing during the storm, but residents’ frustrations simmered over blocked drains and the slow pace of relief. Some, like Shropshire Councillor Dan Thomas, credited the highways teams’ “relentless” work with preventing even worse flooding.
Government responses have included promises of record investment. A spokesperson for Defra told the BBC, “By investing at least a record £10.5bn until 2036, we will break the cycle of communities struggling to recover from flooding.” Yet critics argue that funding mechanisms remain outdated and that local councils, often under financial strain, lack the resources to address frequent severe weather events. Councillor Arooj Shah of the Local Government Association called for “greater flexibility and transparency” from the government and more direct support for councils, especially as “funding mechanisms designed for once in every 10 years flooding events are not fit for purpose.”
In Greater Manchester, the A555 road—stretching from Cheshire through Stockport to Manchester Airport—has become a symbol of the nation’s struggle to keep pace with changing weather. Since its completion in 2018, the A555 has been plagued by repeated flooding, with closures in 2023, January 2025, and again during Storm Claudia. The latest incident saw the road shut in both directions after debris and a fallen tree blocked a drainage channel, requiring drones to locate and assess the blockage. Stockport council, working with Manchester and Cheshire East councils, is planning a drainage improvement program for 2026. “We know there are longstanding challenges along the A555, and we are already developing a wider programme of improvements,” a council spokesperson said.
The crisis has fueled political tensions. Cheadle MP Tom Morrison called for “urgent action to address these issues and get this sorted out properly,” while Conservative Councillor Peter Crossen demanded a public inquiry and a halt to new housebuilding in flood-prone areas. “Year after year, the council offers excuses, year after year, nothing changes,” Crossen argued. In response, Lib Dem Councillor Grace Baynham stressed the need for practical solutions and government funding, noting the council’s limited resources compared to the “many millions of pounds” the flooding has cost. “After the floods in January, the Labour government decided not to provide the council with the flood recovery grant, meaning no extra funding was provided to the council to support work done to deal with the damage of flooding,” Baynham said.
Amid the finger-pointing and frustration, one thing is clear: England’s battle with flooding is far from over. As storms grow more intense and infrastructure creaks under the pressure, communities, councils, and the government face tough questions about how to adapt—and how to protect the places and people that matter most.
