Langholm experiences difficulties after Storm Jocelyn

People in Langholm were lucky to avoid much damage but were left with a different kind of struggle.

The town’s schools were closed because of a problem with their heating.

This created an issue for some parents leaving them to find childcare in short notice.

One parent described the situation as frustrating:

“It’s a bit annoying I have to admit. The kids had two years off for covid just about, and then they try to get back to normal, but it just seems to be the drop of the hat that our schools get shut.”

Grandparents were out on babysitting duties today, although not all parents had that option and were forced to take a day’s holiday from work to look after their children.

Dumfries and Galloway Council have confirmed that they will remain closed on Thursday as well.

Local businesses also took a hit and had to close early. Some deliveries were also delayed impacting the shop’s stock.

Bill Barbour said their local shops were lucky to avoid the worst of the storm, but some left early as a precaution:

“There’s been no power cuts thankfully, but some have had to close early as they live out of town or if they’re out getting deliveries, some have closed early to collect them but thankfully Langholm managed to escape any structural damage.”

Concerns for more adverse weather seem to be growing and Langholm residents feel as if they’re the last to receive any help from power companies and the council.

Elizabeth Wilson fears there’s more high winds and flooding to come:

“I feel like Langholm kind of gets left out when there’s flooding, for example. Moffat, Dumfries and everything gets all the supplies ASAP and because we’re on the border, we’re the last to get any help.”

She admitted there’s been a downfall in the help provided:

“Well, I’ve been here three years and I have a lot of regular customers who were born and bred in Langholm and one of the stories I was told was there’s always been a council team, there was always people to help out to support with flooding or whatever. But now we don’t have that. Now we have to wait. We don’t have police; we have fire brigade which is amazing and the ambulance as well but anything else has got to come from Dumfries or Annan or somewhere like that.”

She went on to say that the community council team are lacking in some departments:

“We don’t have our own constant community council team. They’re here but they’re not like they used to be, they’re limited to what they can do. There are certain roads that don’t get gritted. I live out-with, but I know that that main road never ever gets gritted.”

SP Energy have confirmed that nearly 18,000 homes in the region lost power during the storm, but all customers were reconnected this afternoon.