The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Queen heaps praise on flood-hit villagers
Royalty: Traders, public and emergency workers in Royal Deeside impress monarch with their resolve to recover from damage of Storm Frank Shop’s a winner for ‘proud mum’
THE QUEEN discovered the resilience of a north-east community hit by the worst floods in a generation yesterday.
The monarch visited Ballater to hear how residents and businesses are rebuilding their livelihoods after the River Dee burst its banks.
She also chatted to some of the emergency service workers who responded to the disaster.
John Sinclair, co-owner of Sheridan butchers, which was badly damaged, said afterwards: “She was really impressed with the way it’s been turned around and she was full of praise for all the help from everywhere, as we all are.”
The Queen was described as a “proud mum” as she viewed the work to transform a derelict Ballater shop into a royal restaurant and gift shop.
Earlier this month, the Press and Journal revealed that plans by Prince Charles’s Dumfries House Trust to convert the former Co-op on Netherley Place had been approved by Aberdeenshire Council.
Huge progress has been made to get the restaurant and shop – named the Rothesay Rooms – up and running.
Yesterday the Queen was given a first look inside the outlet, which will be a “pop-up” enterprise bearing the Duke of Rothesay’s Highgrove brand.
Signs were placed on the outer walls of the building prior to the Queen’s arrival.
She was met by spokesman for the Dumfries House Trust and Doric musician and entertainer, Robert Lovie.
Mr Lovie – who sings God Save the Queen to the monarch at every Braemar Gathering – updated her on the project’s progress.
She was shown around the soon-to-be restaurant area and the newly-fitted kitchen, where Mr Lovie gave her a glance at the prospective menu. Mr Lovie said: “It is great to have the Queen here. The project is being led by Prince Charles’s flood appeal. She seemed very keen every time I spoke about the project, very keen. I think she was incredibly proud.
“She came in and saw what we have been doing here. We’ll be doing a lot of training for young people in hospitality and we will be employing local people both in the shop and the restaurant. We are hoping it is going to keep tourists coming in.
“We think the restaurant and shop will do that, we are getting inquiries about the restaurant already.”
The Rothesay Rooms is due to open in early October. Hundreds of people lined the streets of a storm-battered village yesterday to catch a glimpse of the Queen as she met some of those worst-hit by the floods.
Her Majesty visited Ballater to view the progress on mending the community, which was devastated after the River Dee burst its banks on December 30 last year.
The Queen also met some of the emergency workers who rescued stricken people from their homes, and provided shelter in the following days.
More than 300 homes and 60 businesses in the village were devastated by Storm Frank, with those on the lower end of Bridge Street hit by about 4ft of water.
The monarch arrived on Bridge Street dressed in a blue dress and hat at 2.45pm, first visiting the local butchers. HM Sheridan lost between £40,000 and £50,000 of stock, but was one of the first businesses to reopen.
Many others are still in the midst of repairs.
When she arrived at the butchers, the Queen was greeted by employee Andrew Wimbush, who was holding a haunch of venison sourced from her own Balmoral Estate.
The shop is owned by Barry Florence and John Sinclair – who helped guide the monarch along the many Bridge Street businesses.
Mr Florence said: “We are obviously delighted she chose to come and visit us, it is a great honour to have her in here. We got a chance to show her our products, she was particularly interested in the venison.
“We are doing quite
“We are obviously delighted she chose to come and visit us, it is a great honour”
happy with the way the business is at the moment, there is still a wee bit to go, there is still a lot of displaced residents in the village.”
The Queen then visited the neighbouring Brakeley Gift Room, which has enjoyed good summer trade since reopening earlier this year.
David and Wendy Cobban said it was the perfect way to celebrate the first anniversary of the shop, which was damaged just three months after they first opened.
Mr Cobban said: “We were delighted that she came in. It is a two-way thing for us, not just recognising those that have been through it and back on their feet but also those that aren’t.”
Bryn and Marilyn Wayte hope their beloved store, Deeside Books, can reopen at the start of 2017.
Mrs Wayte said it was “lovely” that the Queen had shown so much interest when they met face-to-face yesterday.
Mr Wayte added: “She’d heard we’d lost a lot of books, which we did, we lost over 8,000 books.
“We are hoping that most of the building will be finished by the end of the year.”
Outside Glenmuick Parish Church, in the heart of the village, the Queen met some of the emergency responders who dealt with the immediate aftermath of the floods.
Local police officers and firefighters, along with Aberdeenshire Council officials lined up outside the kirk to shake hands with the monarch.
Afterwards, with the sun shining, she was given a tour inside the church by minister David Barr.
The Queen took particular interest in a stained glass window dedicated to the church in memory of butcher, Michael Sheridan, following his death in 2006. The display depicts Ballater from the River Dee and Royal Bridge, described by Rev Barr to the royal as a “river of life and resilience”.
Within the church she met a number of local flood victims, as well as members of the rotary club and Victoria and Albert Hall committee and a number of volunteers from the Ballater Charitable Chiels.
Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside councillor Peter Argyle was among those that spoke with the Queen outside.
He said: “We talked about the tremendous community spirit in Ballater. I understand she asked to come and visit because she is interested in what has happened to Ballater and it showed.”
The Queen then had a look at the work being done to turn the former Co-op on Netherley Place into a Highgrove restaurant and tea shop named the Rothesay Room – the brainchild of Prince Charles.
After driving past Ballater Caravan Park, she finished with a visit to the village’s golf club.
Golf club secretary Colin Smith said: “You can’t have anyone better coming can you? It was a great day for the club. She asked how the recovery had gone.
“She spoke to the river council members, golf course committee members, green keepers and members who had helped in the clear up.”