Plumbers across Lancaster have been given a unilateral ‘thank you’ in the wake of some of the most disastrous storms ever to hit the United Kingdom. Local businesses in the area have unified to heap praise on local plumbers for their efforts to help stem the disruption.
One plumbing depot stayed open throughout the difficult conditions and was itself left submerged in three feet of water, going without power for seven days at one point. The depot kept its doors open and ran its daily business using only one mobile telephone.
EMCOR Project Manager, John Beattie, responsible for the installation and maintenance of housing for Lancaster City Council, said, “The staff were true heroes […] No-one could really have complained if they had just closed until the water subsided and the situation eased. But fair play to them, they realised how important it was to keep trading.”
Manager Chris Lee said, “The flooding was horrendous and the branch was in a right state, but we knew that the plumbers who use us were under enormous pressure. They obviously needed stock – and quickly – we just got stuck in to make things work.”
Lancaster was ravaged by flooding in December 2015 and towns around the area are still feeling the pressure of the flooding. Residents witnessed severe downpours over the Christmas period and, at one point, the region experienced 100mm of rain in one day. Up to 42,000 residents in the area had their services affected and power cut affected the towns of Carnforth and Lancaster, as well as Morecambe.
Plumbers in the area are thankful of the praise and have responded by providing messages of support on social media. One tweeted to say “Glad to have helped at this time of need.”