Floating eatery re-launches after flooding misery
A cruising restaurant in Warwickshire has been re-launched after last summer's floods left it high and dry.
Restaurateurs Ashley and Ann Simons feared their business, then known as the Prince Regent 2 Cruising Restaurant, would be sunk after record rainfall left them with no option but to cancel half their summer’s reservations.
Ashley said: “We bought the business in 2006 and had only just started trading in the last quarter of the year. The 2007 season had just got into full swing when the rain came in May and continued throughout June and July.
“Though the boat wasn’t damaged, we lost around 50 bookings that summer through a combination of flooded roads and extremely wet weather putting customers off.”
The couple turned to Business Link adviser Anne Cumberlidge, who specialises in helping tourism businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire. They received help with their marketing and with the cash flow, which helped to get their restaurant re-launched.
IT Futures at Wolverhampton University assisted with producing a brand new website and a PR specialist in leisure and tourism helped to promote the business to a wide number of sectors.
The restaurant, now known as the PR2, moored at Radford Semele, has been refurbished to widen its appeal to include a new, younger audience.
And April saw the first of three re-launch parties as the Simons look forward to a new sunnier season ahead, cruising through some of Warwickshire’s prettiest countryside.
The new-look PR2 offers fine dining for private parties including corporate functions as well as weddings and family celebrations and open dining for smaller parties and couples with advance booking essential. It cruises for three hours, four nights per week and Sunday lunch times and can seat up to 42 at any one time.
Business Link’s Anne Cumberlidge said: “Ashley and Ann are very focused on where they are going with a very well structured business plan and it has been a pleasure to work with them to help re-build the business.”
www.pr2restaurant.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leamington
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: North west
