Waterlogged Vision Express reopens after yet another flood

Staff at Vision Express have made a colossal effort to welcome back customers after the shop in High Street was submerged beneath three feet of water.

Sisters Bev Nelson, an optometrist, and Dawn Peters, a dispensing optician, had just completed renovating the premises after the last flood in October 2019 when Storm Christoph struck.

Drawers of display cases full of glasses were destroyed

Drawers of display cases full of glasses were destroyed

"We had just recovered and finished final repairs to the store costing £175,000," said Bev. "This latest one flooded the entire ground floor causing much more damage and will probably be double that cost.

"We lost all our optometry and lab equipment.

Vision Express staff have documented the damage caused by the four most recent floods

Vision Express staff have documented the damage caused by the four most recent floods

"We have been flooded 12 times in the past 20 years and we will flood again. If it rains heavily for a few days, we will flood.

We are constantly on edge."

Damage left behind after the water subsided

Damage left behind after the water subsided

Staff have pulled out all the stops to get back up and running.

READ >Council leader calls for 'urgent action' to prevent future flooding in Cheshire West 

"We have worked tirelessly, 18 hours a day, staff were on their hands and knees scrubbing to turn it around," said Bev. "It has been a huge effort. Head office jumped into action and we had contractors in as soon as loss adjusters had assessed the damage."

A new optometry department has been created upstairs

A new optometry department has been created upstairs

New measures have now been taken to ensure equipment won't be damaged when it floods again.

The electrics have been re-wired so they can now be moved up through the ceiling.

"We got a loan and bought brand new equipment and have created an optometry department upstairs," said Bev. "The equipment is phenomenal, stunningly beautiful.

Staff training on new equipment

Staff training on the new equipment

"We are really pleased that we can now offer an even better service than before.

"The only drawback is we can't see anyone who can't get up the stairs and we have a lot of elderly patients and some in wheelchairs so this is only a temporary situation."

Bev and Dawn, who have stayed open throughout the pandemic, own the business as a joint venture partnership and trade under Vision Express.

Sisters Bev Nelson and Dawn Peters ready to serve customers again

Sisters Bev Nelson and Dawn Peters ready to serve customers again

"We give that personal service," said Bev."We treat patients as we'd like to be treated ourselves and always go that extra mile.

"We delivered glasses to patients' homes whilst we were closed. They couldn't believe it. We have received so many cards and letters. It moved us to tears. We are so grateful knowing that we are making a difference to people's lives.

The sisters are keen to find a new shop on higher ground.

"The disruption caused by the floods is not fair on our customers or our staff," said Bev. "Floods happen to us constantly. This time it the final straw.

"As soon as we can find new premises, we want to offer two downstairs consulting rooms.

"We are so excited, we can't wait. We will be bigger and better than ever before."