Molong businesses bear the financial aftermath of ongoing COVID, mouse plague and flooding events

Business owners have faced a number of challenges this year, topped off by a flash flooding event last month which saw water cover the streets of Molong.

Owner of the popular Bank Street cafe and giftware store, Be Tempted at Barnesys, Jodie Laffin said while trading had only recently picked up following Christmas Day, it's been an ongoing battle.

"We're only just starting to pick back up [with business] in the last few days, but business has taken a hard hit ... a massive hit," said Mrs Laffin.

"After COVID and the flooding, we could only have about two staff members on, whereas today it's picked up and I've got the usual six to seven workers on."

Though the flooding event didn't cause nearly as severe damage as the extreme flood back in 2005, it still rattled Molong business takings, and threw another spanner in the works for the small village.

"[This latest flood] wasn't nearly as bad as the one in 2005, but that doesn't mean businesses haven't struggled or had trade go without being impacted," she said.

"I rang [State Emergency Services] before I left for Orange and I said I hope you've all got the sandbags ready, because it's going to hit.

"I've lived through enough [floods in Molong] to know, so we knew what to do."

Many businesses are also still awaiting action from insurance companies to help with underfloor water damage, the replacement of electrical appliances, and repainting costs from corrosion.

"We have to get repairs done now for the flooring underneath; the tiles are cracked through the kitchen, so the whole area needs replacing," Mrs Laffin said.

"More than anything, it was the massive mess left behind that we had to clean up; pushing all the water out with rubber sweepers, getting rid of the sand and mopping up."

Though the indoor clean-up was a grubby event, outdoor areas also copped dishevel from flood damage; which isn't ordinarily, or largely covered by insurance companies.

"Businesses still have to pay the insurance excess, regardless of funding and what the insurance companies will cover," she said.

"Funding covers a small part of the costs, but there's lost gravel out the back, the driveway's gone ... and none of that's covered."

Along with businesses on higher ground - on the southern half of the Bank Street - some owners in the main street considered themselves lucky, barricading shop fronts with black plastic sheeting, which are used as versatile barriers against rising floodwaters.

"Water came through the door, just, but other than that we didn't have anything," said the owner of Molong's combined newsagency and post office Kaylene Philpott.

"We were really lucky that we had [people] that were here who were able to stop the water from getting in further by using the black plastic sheets.

"What saved us was the sheeting, and then eventually the SES came through with the sandbags, and we were able to open the next morning after the clean-up."

Nearby store manager of Eden Dècor and Gifts, Ricki Philpott said the homewares store was also open for trading the following day, though it wasn't exactly business as usual.

"We sandbagged early, but if [the floodwater] rose any higher we would've been in a bit of trouble," she said.

"It's hollow flooring so we had to air the place out and pump water out from under the floors.

"We had a full-house of community support as usual though, the main street; people were out in force."

While a number of residents were unknowingly transmitting the outbreak of COVID to come, the small town banded together in a show of support to assist wherever they could; emptying buckets full of floodwater from businesses on the western - especially the eastern - side of the street.

While another popular establishment - the Freemasons Hotel - is in the process of replacing carpets, linoleum flooring, repainting and replacing appliances, the same show of help from the community was echoed in a Facebook post from business owner Kim Stojanov.

"Staff members and people in the community were lifting items to higher-ground, the whole works," Mrs Laffin added.

"You can never fault the Molong community when it comes to support."