Cockermouth not prepared for flood disaster, claims hotelier

A Cockermouth hotel owner said the town is not prepared for the flood disaster it is experiencing at the moment and their flood defences can not cope.

John Carlin, owner of the Allerdale Court Hotel, said he was frightened his building will be completely flooded out this afternoon. He said it is the first time they have been hit by the extreme torrential weather.

“We are frightened,” he said. “If the water raises another foot it will be in the hotel. We can’t get any sandbags. They seem to have run out. We are trying our best to get as much flood protection as we can. We have never been affected on this scale before.

“This is totally an extreme situation. It’s unreal. The water has risen so quickly this afternoon within half an hour. The water can’t get out past the bridge because the water has burst its banks. It is going through the shops. The hotel is half full with guests, but they are all out at work, so we can’t notify them yet.

“My hotel is two doors away from disaster. I am very frightened about what will happen. The water has risen a metre in less than 20 minutes.

“We have certain flood defences, but we are extremely worried that the water will get into the hotel. The flood defences can’t cope.

Cockermouth is not prepared in the slightest for this disaster.”

Tracey Jones, who works at the hotel, said: “We are quite close to the river. The water is just creeping slowly on to Market Place.

“Main Street looks like a river. The water is up to people’s knees. People are trying to clear the stock and get it higher up in the shops so it’s not ruined. Everyone is scared because it is getting worse really fast.”

Workington MP Tony Cunningham said: “I have been involved in this since 9am.

About 100 properties are flooded in Keswick, another 100 are flooded in Cockermouth.

In Workington the road near the police station is flooded. If it goes any higher the police station will be flooded. The cricket ground in Workington is flooded.

“The Environment Agency are sending out three boats to Cockermouth tonight to evacuate the people whose properties are worst hit. This is serious. The water is up to people’s necks in some places. Some parts are worse than the floods in the 1940s. I am doing everything I can to help.”

The Environment Agency says that the towns of Cockermouth, Kendal and Keswick are of most concern.

Its Floodline service has received more than 7,000 calls from members of the public over the last 24 hours.