Floodgates open in Carmarthenshire

When restaurateur Peter Evans needed to protect his Pembrokeshire business from flash floods what he did not realise was that he'd just stumbled upon an innovation which would make him and his family hundreds of thousands of pounds. In 1997 having unknowingly created the prototype of his first Floodgate, Mr Evans employed the help of the University of Wales and the Welsh Office, and they jointly created the domestic doorway flood barrier, which is now a thriving business run by his sons Simon and Tim. One of the first flood barriers of its kind to be accredited with the BSI Kitemark, Floodgate is now used by an eclectic mix of customers including the Environment Agency, various emergency services, and thousands of members of the general public. Today, with a handful of employees, this home grown business is turning over just under £1,000,000 per annum, selling approximately 2,000 units a year.