A CLACKMANNAN pub owner has blasted the council after the town's "improvement" works have sparked regular flooding to his business.

The County Bar is said to have lost out on thousands of pounds due to water pouring through the main entrance, forcing the early closure of the premises on a number of occasions.

As part of a £900,000 project the street received new paving, however, some drainage was taken away and the new entrance to the sewer system has failed to cope with the load outside the pub.

In some instances, including New Year's Day, the pub has not been able to open, while at other times it has locked up early in the evening.

Owners argue that patrons are being put off coming to the County Bar due to the barrier of sandbags on the doorway.

Inside, the flooring has been damaged and the pub is now struggling after losing out on around £1,650 due to the fiasco.

Angry landlord Craig Jackson branded the situation a "disgrace" and told the Advertiser he feels the whole redevelopment was "done on the cheap, with the cheapest contractor".

He explained the pub had not been flooded for 15 years before the new walkway was put in place.

He added: "What I'm more afraid of is water getting into the electrics and this building going on fire.

"The pubs hold gas canisters that are taller than you and I, with CO2, if this place goes on fire that's going to go off like a rocket and somebody is going to get hurt."

Craig says he asked Clackmannanshire Council to deal with the issue as a matter of urgency on several occasions, but he was just told to take a video of the water pouring in for his records.

"What's the point in that?," he added. "Act now, before it is too late!

"It has absolutely ruined my business; no one wants to come in.

"When it has been raining they avoid coming here and they go to other establishments because they don't want to wade through a puddle to come in for a pint. I wouldn't do it."

It is understood the local authority sent staff to help deal with the flooding on at least one occasion with employees helping shovel water out the door.

A spokeswoman for the council told the Advertiser: "The owner of the County Bar has been in touch with the council about this issue and we are in ongoing contact with him and the council's contractor for the recent Main Street improvement project to find an early solution."

Craig reckons the removal of aqueducts and drainage underneath the gutters and downpipes just uphill from the bar has significantly contributed to the current problem.

Furthermore, heavy rain can bring more water from the grass verge next to the Stone of Mannan and Craig believes the throughput of the drainage outside the pub is low because grout left over from the tiling is partially blocking it along with dirt, grit and sand.