A riverside location is not always a blessing, according to The Boathouse' Shaun Dickens

My last blog mentioned how much all the team were looking forward to our first Christmas and New Year at the restaurant and neither disappointed. We had a number of large groups and Christmas parties and one firm even came back twice (they must have had a good year!).

Our festive menus put a fresh twist to a few old favorites and were well received by our guests, a huge proportion of which were ‘locals’ who continue to support us. If Christmas was good then New Year was spectacular and the busiest night of the year. Once again our locals came out in force and the restaurant was packed and, with both staff and customers celebrating, there was a lovely atmosphere to the whole night.

However, if we thought things were going too well the weather managed to knock us down to size. Being so close to the river is wonderful in the summer both in terms of passing trade and a view we all enjoy, so I guess we have to be philosophical and take the good with the bad. The storms that battered most of the country generated an existing new game for us; Riverwatch. No, not Kate Humble trying to spot otters but me and the staff watching the river rise towards us with mixed feelings of trepidation and frustration.

If King Canute couldn’t hold back the water then what chance did we have and all we could do was to wait and hope! Sadly, like many businesses in the south we didn’t escape some flooding but we survived and with just limited damage we’re already back up and running.

My thoughts go out to every business that didn’t get off as lightly as we did. Perhaps the most testing part of this time was that I had earmarked it as an opportunity to give my wife and son the time they richly deserve but don’t always get when the restaurant is in full swing. This is an industry for those prepared to work long hours and so time off is a rare and precious commodity.

Thankfully understanding is one of Gemma’s many, many wonderful qualities and although we spent many of our ‘holiday’ days at the restaurant watching the river rise, we spent it as a family. So, it’s onwards and upwards with a renewed vigor and a highly motivated team. Plans are already in place for exciting new dishes for two of the biggest days in any restaurants’ calendar namely Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

We are hoping 2014 will be a great year, now that we are a little more established we plan to really push on and offer new dishes and events – weather permitting!