It was devastated by the Fishlake floods - now Doncaster spa is forced to close indefinetly by coronavirus crisis

When floods hit the Doncaster village, residents may have thought things could not get much worse.

Five months on, residents now say that disaster pales compare to the coronavirus crisis.

But as official advice against social contact hits residents, they are now starting to show the same resilience and community spirit that shone through during the floods in November.

Five months ago, Pam Webb saw her spa business on Trundle Lane devastated by the floods. She battled to re-open it in January, and now has finally had to close again due to the current crisis for the foreseeable future.

She said: “Considering the incredible work being done by our NHS staff and other essential workers, it would be wrong for us to continue to offer a venue for social interaction.

“We thank all of our customers who have supported us through the recent floods, in addition to during this latest disaster. Safeguarding everyone’s health and well-being and is the absolute priority.

“These are unprecedented times which are beyond anyone’s control.”

She was closed for nine weeks by the floods. But she knew exactly what she had to do. The current crisis is different and she feels there are many more unknowns.

“We just don’t know how long its going on for,” she said. “It feels worse with it being completely out of our control. But health is the most important thing. It is much more difficult to manage than the floods were.”

Pam and fellow Fishlake resident Dean Edwards have adapted a web page they created for people to offer help and support to other villagers so that it now offers help for those self isolating due to the virus.

“We feel it is a positive thing that we can do,” she said. “We have seen a lot of people come forward to offer help, and it is a great example of the community spirit here.”

It is not the only example. The Hare and Hound pub was one of the rallying points of the village in November when the village was cut off by the floods. Now it is offering to deliver food to those who cannot get out due to self isolation.

Like so many other areas, the village has seen events cancelled.

Coffee mornings run for pensioners in the village have stopped.

And the village panto has now been cancelled for the second time.

The production of Camelot was originally due on stage at Fishlake Village Hall last year. The floods put paid to that plan.

Now the re-arranged show, which was due to run from Wednednday March 25 to Saturday March 28, has been cancelled.

Group chairman Nikki Windmill said: “Due to recent Government Guidelines, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Camelot the Panto. We feel that this decision will help protect our cast, backstage crew and audience. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused. Many thanks to all those who have supported us.”

Pensioners Kath Smith and Mick Ryan were flooded out of their house in November, but still live in the village, in a temporary, rented home.

Mick, who is battling cancer, is self isolating.

Kath said: “Most of the events in the village have been cancelled, We usually have a choir concert, but that has gone, as has the panto.

“We’re just trying to keep things OK. People are offering help in the village, like the pub, where they are offering to deliver food. Having had the floods, it does feel like one thing after another.

“We’re not all elderly in the village but there are quite a few of us, so it is a big worry.

“In between all this we are trying to get the house back on track, and I wonder what the knock-on effect will be on that. Our house is still just a shell.

“We were confined to the village during the flood. But this is a different sort of isolation.”

Mick is still going into Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield for his treatment, but had a consultation with his doctor by phone this week rather than going in person.

Kath has also heard of people being told by builders they would not come to do work because the customer was aged over 70 and they were concerned about transmitting the illness.

“I think it feels like the village has had a knockback,” said Kath. “But I think what is happening now is more of a worry, because it is a health worry. People didn’t lose their lives due to the flood.”