THE Shamrock Hotel in Rochester has recently re-opened after repairs were undertaken following October\u2019s flood event.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t the first-time publican Ian Crouch had to rebuild after a flood having lived through the 2011 event, but it was much worse this time around he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pub was closed down for 4 months,\u201d he said. \u201cThe water level was a lot higher than in 2011 so we lost all refrigeration and the kitchen had to be fully rebuilt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Crouch said it was great to re-open but it\u2019s a battle at the moment considering the state of the town.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe town is low on residents because they have all been relocated until their properties are built,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe morale and the atmosphere in Rochy are nowhere near what it usually is, it\u2019s going to take a long time to fully recover.\u201d<\/p>\n
It has been a double blow for Mr Crouch who also had his home impacted as well as the damage the uninsured pub sustained.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy residence is destroyed, and I am living at the pub now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t really pursued my house, because I have been focusing on my business to provide some income. Me and my two teenage boys are living here.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce the pub is completed, I will focus on the house, and see what the scope of work looks like, and what the insurance company comes back with and start moving forward there.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the large outflux of residents, Mr Crouch has been struggling with a lack of staff as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy chef left, he had a large family and financial commitments, so he moved on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have lost a couple of bar staff. One didn\u2019t fare well after the floods. He had a bit of a breakdown, so he packed up and shifted back to Melbourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I don\u2019t open Monday or Tuesday and I don\u2019t do lunches because I don\u2019t have the staff. I am back in the kitchen and I haven\u2019t cooked in over five years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though it has been tough Mr Crouch said the people of Rochester had stuck with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been good to re-open, and I have had support from all the community and locals that are here, which has been great,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Shamrock Hotel in Rochester has recently re-opened after repairs were undertaken following October\u2019s flood event. It wasn\u2019t the first-time publican Ian Crouch had to rebuild after a flood having lived through the 2011 event, but it was much worse this time around he said. \u201cThe pub was closed down for 4 months,\u201d he said. […]<\/p>\n