February feels a lifetime ago now. Could it really be the same 2020 where Storm Ciara caused wide-spread flooding in the UK? Imagine being told you had to work from home in March when your home had recently been invaded by a nearby river. Speaking to BBC Radio York this week to reflect on Tadcaster’s cup draw away to Darlington, manager Paul Quinn reminded us that here is a town, and a football club, who haven’t just had Covid to deal with this year. Photos on their website show the ground under water with this Facebook post From February 10th saying: “It’s never nice to wake up to these images as Storm Ciara continues to cause havoc for many Non-League Football Clubs, including ours. Sorry to say that the water levels are still rising at an increasing rate too.”
The River Wharfe is believed to get it’s name from a Saxon word meaning swift. Fast-flowing water and heavy rain is therefore quite the tricky combination. In 2012 Tadcaster was split as flooding forced the closure of the Wharfe crossing. Mayor Steve Cobb gave an insight into how much the town depended on the bridge. “It’s a four or five mile trip around without it, just to get to the other side. We have a doctors on one side, schools on both sides, all sorts of businesses on either side.”
The worst fear became reality over Christmas 2015 as a section of the bridge collapsed. First creaking could be heard and stones were dropping into the swollen river which, of course, drew a crowd of onlookers. Naturally you can watch the big moment for yourself with one quick internet search. It took over a year to repair, with the Environment Agency helpfully reporting in 2017 that “an improved system of flood defences in Tadcaster is a priority for the town”. It’s not for me to judge, but I wonder how they’re getting on with that ambition with Ciara in mind?
Glory Hunting 