Cambridgeshire hotel hit by flooding to reopen as clean-up continues
It was forced to close after floodwater swept inside
Last updated 12th Jan 2024
A hotel owner in Cambridgeshire believes this year may well be the first time it's ever had to deal with the full force of flooding.
Raju Karania had to close the Pike & Eel Hotel and Marina in Needingworth near St Ives on Monday as floodwater from Storm Henk made its way inside.
In some of the accommodation, water levels reached around three to four inches while in the marquee, there was around five to six inches of floodwater.
Raju was keen to start the clean-up as soon as possible:
"The full extent (of the flooding) was when it started coming in the chalets and the marquee; as soon as we realised and the water started dropping, we started the clean-up process straight away," he said.
"We've had floods in the past; in 2020, the water went around the marquee and the chalets but never entered the building.
"Unfortunately this year is the year where it entered the buildings which I think has not happened in many years or maybe never."
Damage to cost thousands
Raju predicts the costs to repair the damage caused will be thousands of pounds.
However, he is due to reopen the hotel to customers today and has faith business will return to normal.
"To be honest, I think its going to cost us a good ÂŁ5,000 to ÂŁ10,000 and do all the repairs but we'll do it over time; it's life, what can we do?" he said.
"It's normal (flooding) around here and people that live in this part of the world understand the flooding and the place, and this place has been here for the last 300-400 years, so it's something they'll just keep coming back to."
A flood alert for the River Great Ouse between Brampton and Earith remains in place.