Burst pipe flloods Llandudno Sailing Club

Jan 8 2009 by Judith Phillips, North Wales Weekly News

A DAMPENER was put on New Year’s Eve celebrations at a sailing club when a burst pipe flooded the bar area just before festivities were about to begin.

Llandudno Sailing Club members had a shock when they arrived to set up for the party and found much of the clubhouse under several inches of water.

“It was quite a blow as it’s just eight weeks since we completed a major refurbishment of the upstairs of the clubhouse,” said spokesman Tony Lockett.

“The club spent over £6,000 on carpets, decoration and new furniture including leather sofas, bar stools and tables and chairs.”

He explained members had visited the club at 3pm on New Year’s Eve to turn on the heating but when they returned at 6.45pm the bar and kitchen were flooded.

“A water pipe burst in the roof void over the kitchen and turned the upstairs social areas into a pond with over two inches of water covering the floor. The ceiling collapsed in the bar, snug and kitchen causing total devastation.

“All the hard work during the refurbishment was completed by a group of members who spent many evenings and weekends emptying the club then repairing and repainting before hanging new curtains and bringing in the new furniture, so to see all their hard work ruined in this way was very upsetting.

“The present clubhouse is over 40 years old and in need of modernisation and an upgrade to give disabled members access. All attempts over the last five years to get grants to progress these improvements have failed, and now the club is faced with two or three months of disruption of its winter training programme and social activities with the attendant loss of income,” he said.

Luckily the damage is covered by insurance and Mr Lockett said members still enjoyed their New Year’s Eve party thanks to the club’s vice-commodore, hotelier Andy McNamara.

“Andy invited everyone to his hotel so the party went ahead, although not quite as planned,” he added.

judith.phillips