The Lakes, one year on
Last December’s devastating storms may have dropped from the headlines, but many residents of England’s mountain district are still counting the cost.
How has Cumbria coped since 2015’s floods?
On 1 December the Glenridding Hotel on the shores of Ullswater opened again for business. Amid positive reports of refurbishments, a brand new kitchen and bar plus a fresh drive for recruitment, the sobering reality is it has taken almost exactly a year for the hotel to get back on its feet after the most devastating floods in England’s history.
Storm Desmond’s impact on northern England in early December 2015 was unprecedented. There was the physical: the collapse of the A591, which split the Lakes in two for almost six months; the horrifying scenes of Keswick and Patterdale under water; Carlisle looking like a post-apocalyptic waterworld; Malham Cove featuring a waterfall for the first time in living memory.
Then there were the numbers: half a billion pounds in damage; the highest 24 hour rainfall recorded in England (34cm at Honister Pass), trouncing the previous figure (31cm at Seathwaite); 554 bridges damaged, with three – including Pooley Bridge, which had stood since 1764 – washed away; 5,000 homes affected.
Then came the aftermath. A drop in forward holiday bookings when they were needed the most saw the ‘Cumbria is Open’ initiative to counteract the constant negative press many believed was detrimental to getting the county back on its feet. The closure of the A591 was alone estimated to have cost the county’s tourism £100 million.
The floods of 2015 are now considered by experts as the most extreme on record. In November the Environment Agency launched an interactive online map to show the extent of the repair operations still ongoing as the county braces for the winter. Twelve months since the floods, some 700 families are yet to return to their homes, while hundreds of businesses remain partially or fully closed. And the big question: what if it happens again?
“In terms of early warning for floods, there has been a lot of learning at a
community level taken on board for 2015, because it was very quick,” says Dr Jenny Benson, flood fund manager for the Cumbria Community Foundation. “People’s generosity has been truly amazing, and has enabled us to support over 2,700 flood-affected households across Cumbria and secure £4.7m match funding from Government. It’s not only about recovering from the floods, but how people work together to respond to future flood events.
“Glenridding, for example, has got an early warning system. They have volunteers in place to help vulnerable people; they are getting equipped. The Parish Council in Patterdale and Glenridding has been amazing.”
On the surface the Lake District is back in full swing and – hopefully – better prepared for any future deluges. News came in December that Glenridding has been chosen by the Environment Agency to test a new flood defence scheme. But this winter, the Lakes needs you more than ever. So what’s the message? Jenny Benson: “The appeal is still open, and people still need support. The best thing people can do is come and visit, come and walk.”