A family-run venue has said it is “open for business” after admitting to having suffered because many people wrongly assumed that last week’s floods had forced it to close.

Alesha Gooderham, executive director of Snape Maltings, said the business remained open both during and following the devastating storm surge which swept down the coast last Thursday night and Friday morning.

Snape has been split in two by an impassable pool of water cloaking the bridge that passes across the River Alde.

It is thought that the water overtopped the north bank by almost half a metre, flooding the road and surrounding fields. Around 50 acres of land were under water at the height of the surge.

But Mrs Gooderham said it has been “challenging” for the business, with people assuming Snape Maltings was another victim of the adverse weather.

“It is business as usual for Snape Maltings,” she said.

“We took preventative measures and were incredibly fortunate to have remained dry.

“But while we have huge sympathy for people and businesses that suffered from the storm surge and flooding, unfortunately people formed the perception that Snape Maltings closed as well.

“This is not the case. The misconception has a detrimental effect on businesses like ours on the coast at a critical time before Christmas.

“We are fully open and operational. We have 94 people working here. It has been challenging.

“The Environment Agency has been fantastic and it is the ambition that after another day of working around the clock that the road will be open today.

“But workers have cycled around, taking the ‘scenic route’, and we are open for business.”