Businesses in Deeside fear the cost of the flooding damage will cost them thousands of pounds.
The Queen’s official butcher HM Sheridan in Ballater was badly damaged in the floods, and were forced to bin between £40,000-£50,000 worth of stock – in one of their busiest weeks.
Partner Barry Florence said: “It’s totally devastating.
“The biggest stock of the year is this week for Hogmanay and New Year.
“We’ve lost the lot.”
Although the shop had regained power by Thursday, there was a smell from the fridges and freezers and Mr Florence fears they could be damaged from the water too.
“If these cabinets have to go then that’s major,” he said. “The last re-fit we did was four years ago and it was £200,000.”
Meanwhile local hairdressers D’Tangled was left with ruined salon chairs and salon equipment.
Owner Dominee Travers said the chairs were knocked off their stands with the force of the water.
Further up the road nappies and toiletries littered the sludgy floor of Davidsons Chemists.
Managing director Allan Gordon said the water came up to about two feet and the shop would need to be gutted, followed by a re-fit.
Phil Glennie was out battling the floods with the Braemar Mountain Rescue Team at the peak of the disaster, and said there were lots of propane bottles floating around the town.
“It was quite frightening,” he said.
“But thankfully there was nobody injured as far as we’re aware of.”