Original Factory Shop's £500,000 makeover following the deluge

The store, based at Halifax Road, was badly hit when floods swept through the town and is now undergoing a £500,000 makeover.

Chris Glencorse, property health and safety manager for the the company, said water levels rose to around four feet on Boxing Day.

Staff and management attended, but were unable to do anything because the electrics had been knocked out by the water. Flood damage and contamination meant that all floors were lost and stock stored on the ground floor was written off.

Mr Glencorse added: “Only the stock above the four foot level was salvageable. All the till bank, the tills, and the electrical system all had to be removed of and disposed of.

“We then had to remove all the plaster and coverings to the wall to a level of four feet and then dry the building out to get rid of the moisture in the fabric of the building.”

A large team have been working seven days a week to try and get the store open as quickly as possible - Mr Glencorse added it will look like a completely new store when complete. The shop will reopen on Saturday, March 5.