Gloucestershire Highways said the "very slow and flat peak" of the river would mean the situation with closed roads would continue for a few more days.

BBC: A flooded garden by the River Severn in Gloucester

With gross domestic product still 3% below its peak, growth flat over the past year and the economy having under-performed even the euro zone over the past five years despite the benefits of a substantial devaluation and a massive program of quantitative easing, many believe that BOE obstinacy has held back the recovery.

WSJ: Some of the Carney Gloss Is Coming Off

At the same time, the utilities charge residential consumers a flat rate, giving them no incentive to run appliances during off-peak hours.

ECONOMIST: Energy in Japan