Holidaymakers and homeowners in a seaside town are celebrating after a popular promenade café is back in business after being destroyed by the tidal surge.
The newly-named Tidal Wave on Sheringham West Promenade reopened yesterday after a quick £100,000 refurbishment carried out by North Norfolk District Council.
Tenant Ian Roper, who has run the business for the past 17 years, was hoping to reopen for Easter but work was delayed because of structural repair work to nearby Lees slope.
Mr Roper, 47, from Church Street, Sheringham, estimated he lost £65,000 because of the closure and had to put in £20,000 of his savings into the rebuild which happened over the past three weeks.
He said: 'It is brilliant but it has been so manic this last week to get everything ready. When I opened the regulars were applauding and seemed to like the place. It is fantastic. I couldn't have asked for anything better.'
Mr Roper added he became frustrated because he missed out on trade in what has been a good summer season.
'It has affected me heavily. I have lost a heck of a lot of money. I have got to forget about that though.
'The café is my livelihood and it is a great service to the locals and tourists. There have been a lot of disappointed people who realised there was no café. The closure created a huge gap on the promenade and people missed it,' he added.
Mr Roper was excited about the new start and said the council had created a 'super high grade' building.
He thanked district councillor Rhodri Oliver, Sheringham Town Council clerk Denise Medler and district council officers for their support.
After the surge he salvaged an ice cream machine, freezer and filter coffee machine but everything else was ruined by the waves on December 5.
Two other objects which remained untouched were an RNLI teddy bear and lighthouse model, which have taken pride of place in Tidal Wave.
Mr Roper's said he was shocked when he first the storm surge damage on Sheringham promenade on December 6.
Flood-proofing measures include steel doors and roller shutters and a new drainage system will be put in next month.
District council leader Tom FitzPatrick said: 'It's great to see the café up and running again and I am sure residents and visitors will be pleased with all that has been achieved by the council and its contractors in a short period.'
The authority will be applying to the Environment Agency for up to £800,000 to bolster the West Promenade sea wall this year.
In Cromer, £200,000 will be spent on refurbishing the flood-hit pier box office, shop and restaurant from next month over eight weeks.
Sea defence improvements in the town costing £10m will also be taking place from this autumn until spring 2015.
Are you still feeling the impact of the tidal surge in north Norfolk? Email sophie.wyllie@archant.co.uk.
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