The Harbour Inn at Southwold, has started to flood, according to landlord, Nick Attfield.

East Anglian Daily Times: Emergency flood plans are in place in Southwold before the surge that is due to start on the evening of Thursday 5th December. Nick Attfield, landlord of The Harbour in Southwold, has completely emptied the pub before the flood.Emergency flood plans are in place in Southwold before the surge that is due to start on the evening of Thursday 5th December. Nick Attfield, landlord of The Harbour in Southwold, has completely emptied the pub before the flood. (Image: Archant)

“We are flooding at the moment and I am the only person left, we evacuated, we’ve completely cleared out the pub except for me, “ he said speaking from the property, which is half a mile from harbour entrance right beside the River Blyth.

East Anglian Daily Times: Emergency flood plans are in place in Southwold before the surge that is due to start on the evening of Thursday 5th December. Nick Attfield, landlord of The Harbour in Southwold, has completely emptied the pub before the flood.Emergency flood plans are in place in Southwold before the surge that is due to start on the evening of Thursday 5th December. Nick Attfield, landlord of The Harbour in Southwold, has completely emptied the pub before the flood. (Image: Archant)

“My kitchen is now about six inches underwater and we have about three and a half hours to go, so it is a very serious flood for us.

“I am expecting 75cms of water in the pub.

“I am standing in the bottom bar looking out of the window and the water is just beginning to lap the window, that was a metre off the ground.

“A boat is moored and the boat is higher than my head but at the moment nothing has come into the pub.”

He said he may retire to flat upstairs if things get really serious.

And added: “I think we will be cut off to a certain extent.”

He said has turned off the gas and electric in the pub and has a bag ready to leave if he needs to.

The 36-year-old publican has been working nonstop with his staff since sunrise clearing all the stock, furniture and equipment from the cellar and ground floor.

Having taken on reportedly the lowest lying pub in Britain, Mr Attfield said earlier he had accepted flooding as part of the Harbour Inn’s “charm” which he could cope with using one of several action plans for varying degrees of severity.