There were celebrations yesterday as a flooded Aberdeenshire caravan site which was left looking like a “war zone” in the wake of Storm Frank officially reopened.
The management of the Ballater Caravan Park said they were “blown away” at the number of holiday-makers who rolled up to the site as it opened its doors for the first time since the deluge.
The tourist draw has opened up 40 touring caravans and 30 tent pitches after months of work to clear the plain and bring it back up to scratch.
About 12 caravans had set up at the spot yesterday, with the staff holding a ceremony to mark the occasion in the late afternoon.
In total, 102 static caravans were housed at the site when the floods swept in, 40 of which ended up missing.
Many others on the site were left beyond repair and had to be demolished.
Speaking yesterday, park director Ian Wisely said: “We have officially got caravans on site, we only expected about four or five but we have actually got about 10 or 12.
“The touring site is looking very, very nice indeed. It has been substantially upgraded. We have got an updated toilet block, we have got a new play park, it is all looking very good.
“The locals have been desperate to get visitors back. I am sure some of the people on site have been coming with their children for many years, and they are just glad to be back.”
However, Mr Wisely said the flood rebuild was still only nearing the halfway mark – with the future of the static site still to be decided.
He added their focus now would lie in getting to the bottom of insurance issues facing the site and caravan owners in the wake of the floods.
Mr Wisely said: “We have still got the static area of the park to tackle. We are just not quite halfway there should we say.
“We have got to carry on. Two big questions remains – one is flooding and people’s ability to get insurance and the other is finance.
“Towards the end of July we will be getting down and getting it done. There is still a long way to go.”
Some 600 homes and 100 businesses are estimated to have flooded across Aberdeenshire in the days following Storm Frank – 307 homes and 60 businesses in Ballater alone.
