Wendy Beattie's hair salon went six feet under in Cumbria's floods, but is back open for business on the first floorHigh up above the wrecked ground floor of her hair and beauty salon, Wendy Beattie is one of a handful of locals who will sit down to Christmas dinner in Main Street. She and her husband Derek refused to leave their top floor flat when the river Derwent turned it into an island. Now the whole family is getting ready to join them there. "We've the three
children coming and three grandchildren between them," says Wendy, who has put up tinsel and a tree, surrounded by customers' cards of sympathy and support. Outside the window hangs a large Merry Christmas sign in lights, and an illuminated plastic owl in a Santa hat, part of the council's pre-flood Christmas lights."We're lucky," she says. "We've a first floor where we're concentrating the business, and thank goodness, we rescued the appointments book and record cards." Customers were surprised and delighted to get calls a week after the salon went six feet under, saying: "Don't forget your appointment today – and sorry that you're going to have to come upstairs."The Dunkirk spirit doesn't mask the fact that takings are well down, with much less casual custom walking in off the street. "I really want our front door back," says Wendy, "but we're going to be alright." A "flood special" magazine reminds her customers that Cockermouth has bounced back before. In 1938, it recalls, the river Cocker rose 15 feet and a 14lb pike was caught in Main Street.FloodingLake DistrictNatural disasters and extreme weatherSmall businessLocal governmentMartin Wainwrightguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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