The sister restaurant to the two-Michelin starred Vineyard at Stockcross has been forced to close its doors for six weeks due to extensive flooding.
The WinePress restaurant, in the Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa in Newbury, Berkshire, is the latest victim of the bad weather, which has battered the UK for the past three weeks.
Andrew McKenzie, managing director of the Peter Michael Collection, which includes the Vineyard and Donnington Valley, praised the "Dunkirk spirit" shown by hotel staff as water levels rose to waist height on the first floor of the hotel.
More than 30 members of staff – ranging from waiters to beauty therapists – bailed out flood water, which also claimed the ground floor where the laundry and stationery rooms, boiler and air conditioning units are based.
According to McKenzie, the hotel resembled a fish tank. “We had a few sandbags but we were putting dirty linen into bin bags to seal areas off and we were pumping the water out.”
The WinePress restaurant is the only public area that has been forced to close. “It will be out for six weeks to dry out and we need to get new carpet and get it redecorated,” McKenzie added.
Flood hit pubs and hotels forced to cancel bookings >>
Brewers send in tankers with drinking water to England flood victims >>
Hospitality flood cost likely to be millions >>
Read Flood Advice for Businesses here >>
By Helen Gilbert