PUBS, cafes and food stores in Chagford have been left counting the cost after they were forced to close over two days due to water supply issues.

Closure signs were placed on the doors of many village businesses over Sunday and Monday when their water supply dried up due to a burst water main.

The water outage also affected over 900 properties.

Problems were first reported around 5.30am on Sunday and continued through to Monday afternoon.

Simon Court of the historic Three Crowns pub said he could not serve food and drink without running water so had closed to non-residents and cancelled bookings.

Chris Mount of Blacks Delicatessen, who had to close his shop, said he was sure that South West Water had done everything it could to fix the burst water main as quickly as possible but he described the company’s communication as “atrocious”.

Some businesses like the Fat Mouse Dairy were able to get by bringing water in from outside and making cups of tea when they were unable to use the coffee machine.

The Spar shop reported it had sold out of 140 large bottles of water in two and a half hours on Sunday morning and was not due another delivery until Tuesday.

A bottled water station was set up at Chagford Primary School on Sunday and South West Water said this would continue until the water supply had returned to all residents and businesses.

Vulnerable residents received deliveries of bottled water.

On Monday afternoon the water company said the repair had now been successfully completed.

A spokesman said: “However, as the water network recharges and refills, it may take some time for water supplies to fully return to homes and businesses.

“As a precaution, a Boil Water Notice is in place while we complete the necessary water quality checks following the complex repair.”