Floods impact Christmas trade at number of UK's riverside hotels

The owners of Reeds Country Hotel in Barton, Lincolnshire, made the 'very difficult decision' to close the 26-bedroom hotel for good on 18 December after they realised that the business would be unable to recover financially from flood damage caused to the property's interior and exterior. 

In a statement on the hotel's website hotel director Nicola Robinson said it was with 'sincere regret and sadness' that the hotel, which is situated close to the banks of the River Humber, would have to close after 16 years of trade due to being badly damaged by severe coastal flooding on 5 December. 

Electrics, furnishings and the building itself are thought to have been affected by the floods. 

"It is because of this that we had to make the very difficult decision that Reeds Hotel is to enter into voluntary liquidation," it says. 

"We would like to thank all our staff, friends and colleagues for their support and kind words, and we thank everyone that have allowed us to be part of their lives and celebrations at Reeds Hotel and apologise to those that we are no longer able to accommodate.

"The loss of Reeds Hotel is heart-breaking to our family and is something that we hope to move forward from."

Guests with outstanding bookings have been urged to contact insolvency practioners Chamberlain & Co in Leeds. A spokesman for the company said a liquidator would need to be appointed this Friday (10 January) before any of the business's assets could be sold off. 

Loss of trade​

Other hospitality businesses suffering a loss of trade due to floods include the Old Mill Hotel in Batheaston, whose manager Gary Button told the Bath Chronicle he'd had to cancel 50 Christmas dinners and was facing a huge repair bill after the hotel and restaurant flooded on Christmas Eve when the River Avon burst its banks.

The Mercure Box Hill Burford Bridge hotel in Dorking was also affected by flooding on Christmas Eve. Guests and staff at the 57-bedroom hotel situated close to the River Mole, were evacuated after the area became flooded and the hotel remains closed while damage is assessed and repairs made. 

A statement from the hotel said: “Due to severe flooding in the local area, for the safety of our guests and staff we have been forced to evacuate the Mercure BoxHill, Burford Bridge, Dorking.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will return to business as usual as soon as possible, but regrettably we have had to close the hotel in the meantime. For those who need alteve accommodation please call the hotline on 0207 6600684 and we will endeavour to accommodate guests at another hotel. In addition, all those who have made bookings in the restaurant or the hotel, will be compensated.”