A Cumbrian hotel left devastated by storm Desmond is close to re-opening its main kitchen this month thanks to the work of catering equipment distributor Lakes Catering Maintenance.

Owners of The Wateredge Inn, in Ambleside, were left distraught last year when waters from Lake Windermere rose through the garden and car park, then up through the restaurant and bar until the water was a foot deep in the kitchen.

It was particularly heart-breaking for the hotel given that it has twice suffered floods in the last eight years. During Storm Desmond, water was a foot deep in the kitchen of the hotel.

Lakes Catering Maintenance fitted out the Wateredge Inn’s kitchen range, including storage.

Director Scott Cowap is looking forward to re-opening the main kitchen for business this month.

“Chefs are hard to get hold of and a kitchen to this standard will help to motivate and retain them. We have retained out core staff, some of whom have been with us for 25 years,” said Mr Cowap.

“It is the last cooking range that I am going to be buying and I wanted to make the kitchen a nice environment to work in.

“This was not an easy job but we’ve had really good advice and they have helped to take the pressure off, which has made them a pleasure to work with.

“The LCM team who installed the unit were enthusiastic and really wanted to get a good job done.”