RORY PRAISES RESILIENCE OF RICKERBY RETREAT

23131185_10155807213383770_1765782556_o

Rory Stewart MP last week paid a visit to the Rickerby Retreat, to meet with Spa Manager, Amy Bristo, and to look at how the spa and restaurant was recovering following damage sustained during Storm Desmond in 2015.

The family business, owned and run by Rachel and Daniel Ferguson was launched in 2014 and was only open for one year before the floods hit. The facility has now been closed for renovation work since December 2015, when Storm Desmond caused unprecedented flood damage. Water rose to nearly nine feet at the height of the storm, and everything on the ground floor was destroyed. The newly refurbished building – which includes a large swimming pool, steam room, sauna and jacuzzi – is due to reopen by the end of 2017, and will once again be offering spa days, and a range of spa treatments, and the bar and restaurant will be open to the general public.

Spa Manager, Amy Bristo said:

“It was lovely to see Rory again and to show him how well our refurbishments have came along, we employed 24 people before the floods and are looking forward to creating more jobs for the local area with excellent service alongside our new facility’s. We are excited to reopen again and aim to be better than ever with our brand new spa and restaurant with a newly designed pool area.”

Rory Stewart, who also visited the flooded site in 2015, said:

“I am amazed to see how different Rickerby Retreat looks from the devastated building I saw back in 2015. Rachel, Daniel​, Amy​ and their team have had to overcome some huge emotional and operational challenges to get to this stage, and this incredible transformation is testament to their hard work and resilience. Storm Desmond caused incredible distress to the Rickerby community, and I am pleased to know that one of its great assets, and a wonderful, local, family business, will soon be able to reopen its doors. My job now, as MP and Flood Envoy, is to help make sure flood resilience is improved for Rickerby, and I will continue to support Rachel and Daniel, and the local flood group, to push for progress on this complicated issue.”

 

Print Friendly and PDF